Definition of earthworm
: a terrestrial annelid worm (class Oligochaeta); especially : any of a family (Lumbricidae) of numerous widely distributed hermaphroditic worms that move through the soil by means of setae and feed on decaying organic matter
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Recent Examples of earthworm from the Web
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Video shot by the Depoe Bay Fire District shows what looks like giant earthworms squirming on the roadway as workers scooped up piles of the wriggling mess with a bulldozer.
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The snake was barely bigger than an earthworm, curled in the palm of someone’s hand.
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Although not technically a fertilizer, nutrient rich compost contains earthworms and other helpful microbes that benefit plant growth.
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As a bulldozer ate through the parking lot to build a new recreation center, the reels came up from the ground—a little like earthworms, a little like zombies—to greet a world that had changed.
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Sea cucumbers are critical to marine ecosystems all over the world, cleaning the sea floor of small particles and waste materials and turning them into nutrients that other creatures can use, much like earthworms on land.
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Students and their lab partners observed and defined the internal organs and structures of their earthworm.
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Organisms such as earthworms will help incorporate it into your plants' root zones.
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The piece begins with a low chromatic rumble that inches up and down methodically, like earthworms readying the soil for a new grave.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'earthworm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of earthworm
14th century
EARTHWORM Defined for English Language Learners
earthworm
playDefinition of earthworm for English Language Learners
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: a long worm that lives in damp soil
EARTHWORM Defined for Kids
earthworm
playDefinition of earthworm for Students
: a worm that has a long body made up of similar segments and lives in damp soil
Learn More about earthworm
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See words that rhyme with earthworm Spanish Central: Translation of earthworm Nglish: Translation of earthworm for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earthworm
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