Meanings
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1
noun
a segmented worm that lives in soil, where its burrowing helps mix and aerate the ground
An earthworm disappeared into the damp soil beneath the leaves.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English erthe-worm, from Old English eorthwyrm, a compound of earth + worm. The name distinguishes the familiar soil-dwelling annelid from worms associated with water, plants, or the body.