whipworm

noun whip·worm \ ˈhwip-ˌwərm , ˈwip- \

|Updated on: 29 Jul 2018

Definition of whipworm

: a parasitic nematode worm (genus Trichuris) with a body that is thickened posteriorly and that is very long and slender anteriorly; especially : one (T. trichiura) of the human intestine

Recent Examples of whipworm from the Web

In addition to highlighting the contents of a typical 17th-century Danish diet, the latrines reveal the poor sanitary conditions of the period—roundworm, tapeworm and whipworm eggs were all present in the deposits.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Archaeologists Unseal 17th-Century Danish Latrines to Discover Copenhageners’ Dietary Habits," 9 July 2018
Roundworm and whipworm are excreted with human feces and spread via food contaminated by insufficient handwashing or the use of fecal matter as fertilizer.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Archaeologists Unseal 17th-Century Danish Latrines to Discover Copenhageners’ Dietary Habits," 9 July 2018
The analysis also identified a handful of parasites that only infect humans such as the giant roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and the whipworm (Trichuris trichiura).

— marissa fessenden, Smithsonian, "DNA from Ancient Latrines Reveal What People Ate Centuries Ago," 4 May 2018
By sequencing the mitochondrial DNA of the parasite eggs, the researchers found that Northern European whipworms from 1000 C.E. to 1700 C.E. were more closely related to worms found in present-day Uganda than to those in present-day China.

— marissa fessenden, Smithsonian, "DNA from Ancient Latrines Reveal What People Ate Centuries Ago," 4 May 2018
On top of that, the exam on Boppy's body showed that the dog had stomach ulcers, intestinal inflammation, whipworm infestation, skeletal muscle necrosis and severe weight loss.

— tegan hanlon, Anchorage Daily News, "Banned from Yukon Quest over dog care concerns, Hugh Neff says he is being unfairly targeted," 27 Apr. 2018
One gram of dog poop can contain up to 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, and dog poop is also a common carrier of whipworms, hookworms, roundworms, parvo, coronavirus, giardia, salmonella, cryptosporidium, and campylobacter.

— wes siler, Outside Online, "It’s Time to Talk About Dog Poop," 27 Mar. 2018
One anecdote doesn’t make for proof, but by studying the man’s immune system Loke’s team generated several hypotheses about the whipworm’s effects.

— brandon keim, WIRED, "The Potential Health Benefits of Parasitic Gut Worms," 20 Nov. 2012

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

First Known Use of whipworm

1875

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

whipworm

noun whip·worm \ -ˌwərm \

medical Definition of whipworm

: a parasitic nematode worm of the family Trichuridae with a body that is thickened posteriorly and that is very long and slender anteriorly; especially : one of the genus Trichuris (T. trichiura) that parasitizes the human intestine