hairworm
noun
hair·worm
ˈher-ˌwərm 
1
: any of a phylum (Nematomorpha) of elongated worms that have separate sexes, are parasitic in arthropods as larvae, and are free-living in water as adults
called also horsehair worm
2
: any of a genus (Capillaria) of nematode worms that include serious parasites of the digestive tract of fowls and tissue and organ parasites of mammals
Examples of hairworm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Swimming with the fishesSpinochordodes tellinii, also known as a hairworm, are free-living aquatic organisms as adults, who, as nematodes, eek out an existence in the mud.
—
Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2015
Paragordius obamai, a hairworm that lives inside the stomachs of African crickets.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2017
For his part, Obama also has a trapdoor spider, a species of lichen, a puffbird, a parasitic hairworm that infects crickets, and an extinct lizard called Obamadon named after him.
—Richard Pyle, National Geographic, 2 Sep. 2016
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Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2015
Paragordius obamai, a hairworm that lives inside the stomachs of African crickets.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2017
For his part, Obama also has a trapdoor spider, a species of lichen, a puffbird, a parasitic hairworm that infects crickets, and an extinct lizard called Obamadon named after him.
—Richard Pyle, National Geographic, 2 Sep. 2016
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Cite this Entry
“Hairworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hairworm. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hairworm
noun
hair·worm
ˈha(ə)r-ˌwərm
ˈhe(ə)r-
: any of various very long slender worms (as a horsehair worm)
Medical Definition
hairworm
noun
hair·worm
ˈha(ə)r-ˌwərm, ˈhe(ə)r-
1
: any nematode worm of the genus Capillaria
2
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