jointworm

American

[joint-wurm] / ˈdʒɔɪntˌwɜrm /

noun

the larva of any of several chalcid flies of the family Eurytomidae, especially of the genus Harmolita, that feeds within the stems of grasses, often causing a gall near the first joint.

jointworm British

/ ˈdʒɔɪntˌwɜːm /

noun

the larva of chalcid flies of the genus Harmolita, esp H. tritici, which form galls on the stems of cereal plants

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of jointworm

First recorded in 1700–10; joint + worm

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023