lugworm

[ luhg-wurm ]

/ ˈlʌgˌwɜrm /

noun

any burrowing annelid of the genus Arenicola, of ocean shores, having tufted gills: used as bait for fishing.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby lugworm

lugo, lugones, lugosi, lugsail, lugubrious, lugworm, luhrmann, luhsien, luichow, luichow peninsula, luik

Origin of lugworm

First recorded in 1795–1805; lug⁴ + worm

Also called lug.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for lugworm

Lugworm, lug′wurm, n. a sluggish worm found in the sand on the sea-shore, much used for bait by fishermen.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)|Various
Commonly known as "lugworm," and used by fishermen for bait.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold

British Dictionary definitions for lugworm

lugworm

/ (ˈlʌɡˌwɜːm) /

noun

any polychaete worm of the genus Arenicola, living in burrows on sandy shores and having tufted gills: much used as bait by fishermenSometimes shortened to: lug Also called: lobworm

Word Origin for lugworm

C17: of uncertain origin

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