bloodworm

noun

blood·​worm ˈbləd-ˌwərm 

variants or less commonly blood worm

plural bloodworms also blood worms

: any of various pink to red worms: such as

a

: any of a genus (Glycera) of bristle worms that live in shallow marine waters or tidal flats and that are often used as bait

b

: the bright red aquatic larva of a midge fly and especially a chironomid that is commonly used as food for aquarium fish

c

: any of several strongyle worms (such as Strongylus vulgaris) that are intestinal parasites of horses and that typically migrate to the liver, pancreas, or blood vessels

Examples of bloodworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As water temperatures plunge and ice covers the surface, the bluegill buffet shifts to bloodworms, freshwater shrimp and scuds, and even tiny zooplankton. — Outdoor Life, 27 Jan. 2020

Maine’s catch of bloodworms has dropped from more than 600,000 pounds in 2004 to less than half that last year. — Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2017

An October study in the journal Fish and Fisheries said bloodworms are the most valuable marine worm species on the retail bait market, and sandworms aren’t far behind. — Patrick Whittle, The Seattle Times, 27 Apr. 2017

The price for bloodworms at the dock has more than doubled since 2001, to nearly $16 per pound, and that cost is eventually borne by consumers. — Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2017

These baits are a good imitation of a bloodworm, which is a common food source for a variety of fish in most waters. — Terry Wickstrom, The Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

bloodworm

noun

blood·​worm ˈbləd-ˌwərm 

variants also blood worm

: any of several comparatively large bloodsucking nematode worms of the genus Strongylus that are parasitic in the large intestine of horses and have larvae which wander in the viscera and sometimes lodge in the intestinal blood vessels causing colic or more rarely a fatal aneurysm

called also palisade worm, red worm