bloodworm

noun blood·worm \ ˈbləd-ˌwərm \

Definition of bloodworm

1 : any of various reddish annelid worms (as of genera Glycera or Tubifex) often used as bait

2 : any of several strongyle worms (genus Strongylus) that are parasitic in the large intestine of horses

Recent Examples of bloodworm from the Web

But Miike, adapting a manga by Hiroaki Samura, has something else in store for Manji: a creepy old woman shows up and bestows upon him the gift of immortality, inserting magical bloodworms under his skin that will keep him alive forever.

— ben sachs, Chicago Reader, "Film / Foreign / On Video You probably missed Blade of the Immortal when it played here, but now you can catch it on DVD and BluRay," 9 Mar. 2018
Maine’s catch of bloodworms has dropped from more than 600,000 pounds in 2004 to less than half that last year.

— patrick whittle, The Seattle Times, "Abating bait: Decline in prized worms threatens way of life," 27 Apr. 2017
Maine’s catch of bloodworms has dropped from more than 600,000 pounds in 2004 to less than half that last year.

— Washington Post, "Abating bait: Decline in prized worms threatens way of life," 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, "Wickstrom: Should anglers be fishing with live bait or modern artificial baits?," 14 Mar. 2017
Maine harvesters are by far the U.S.’s largest suppliers of sandworms and bloodworms, twisty, fat critters that can grow longer than a foot and have teeth that inflict a painful bite.

— patrick whittle, The Seattle Times, "Abating bait: Decline in prized worms threatens way of life," 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, "Abating bait: Decline in prized worms threatens way of life," 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, "Abating bait: Decline in prized worms threatens way of life," 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.

— Washington Post, "Abating bait: Decline in prized worms threatens way of life," 27 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bloodworm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of bloodworm

1736

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

bloodworm

noun blood·worm \ ˈbləd-ˌwərm \

medical Definition of bloodworm

: 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