glowworm

[gloh-wurm]

noun

1. the wingless female or larva of the European beetle, Lampyris noctiluca, which emits a sustained greenish light.

2. any of various other beetle larvae or wingless females that emit a glow rather than a flash of light.

Word History and Origins

Origin of glowworm¹

1300–50; Middle English. See glow, worm

Example Sentences

For visitors to New Zealand, the chance to see a haka, the ceremonial Maori dance, has long been as much a part of the country’s allure as its glaciers, geysers and glowworm caves.

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But here, the bioluminescence is turquoise like the glowworm caves in New Zealand.

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“My coworker is screaming from her crib because she doesn’t have her glowworm.”

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“A number of different studies have shown that artificial light in a glowworm habitat actually prevents the males from finding the females,” Lewis said.

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Most firefly species aren’t well documented in terms of populations, with substantial data only existing for a few, such as the common European glowworm and a separate species found in Malaysia.

Read more on The Guardian