bookworm

[book-wurm]

noun

1. a person devoted to reading or studying.

2. any of various insects that feed on books, especially a booklouse.

bookworm

/ ˈbʊkˌwɜːm /

noun

1. a person excessively devoted to studying or reading

2. any of various small insects that feed on the binding paste of books, esp the book louse

Word History and Origins

Origin of bookworm¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; book + worm

Example Sentences

An under-the-radar prospect from Miami, Mendoza was such a bookworm in high school that some coaches stopped pursuing him because they questioned whether he really wanted to play football.

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So I always imagined my own children would similarly be bookworms and geeks.

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You could be assigned a slovenly party animal who makes your life miserable or a studious bookworm you don’t see all semester.

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True crime podcast lovers, bookworms and mystery series fans will all find something of interest in “Listen for the Lie,” the latest hit book to get the TV treatment.

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"I have always been a bookworm. I will read a bit of anything, but fantasy is my niche because it's escapist," she said.

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When To Use

What does bookworm mean?

A bookworm is someone who’s always reading, usually because they just love to read or because they’re studying or both.Bookworm is sometimes used negatively to make fun of people who love to read. But it is more commonly used in a positive way, especially by book lovers proudly calling themselves bookworms. Bookworm can also be used literally as a general name for any insect that eats books.Example: Bookworms usually have huge vocabularies, so be careful when you play one in Scrabble.