glowworm

noun

glow·​worm ˈglō-ˌwərm How to pronounce glowworm (audio)
: any of various luminous insect larvae or adults with wings rudimentary or lacking
especially : a larva or wingless female of a firefly (family Lampyridae) that emits light from the abdomen

Did you know?

This is any crawling, luminous insect that emits light either continuously, or in prolonged glows, rather than in the brief flashes that are characteristic of most fireflies. Glowworms include larvae and adult (often wingless) females of fireflies and certain other beetle species, as well as the larvae of certain gnat species. They are widely distributed. There is great diversity in the size, number, location, and structure of the bioluminescent organs of glowworms.

Examples of glowworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From climbable crystal formations to neon-bright glowworm habitats, there's a whole world of stuff to explore below the Earth's surface, and spelunking through it is an experience every traveler should have. Kaye Toal, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2024 Before descending, stop at the Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre to learn more about the glowworms and to book tours for all ages and fitness levels. Kaye Toal, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2024 Beyond the feudal Campagna below there are forests, where the Head Forester sends his Mauretanians and glowworms to terrorize the peasants. Thomas Meaney, Harper’s Magazine , 16 Feb. 2023 David Seilly, our glowworm expert and guide, is addressing the crowd. Jules Howard, Discover Magazine, 2 Oct. 2014 Picture everyone on the tour turning off their flashlights, then your eyes adjust to witness these glowworms lighting up the rock faces. Brent Conklin | Bconklin@al.com, al, 31 May 2020 Spend a day black-water tubing through caverns lit by thousands of tiny glowworms, traveling to the cave entrance via zip line and finishing the adventure on a series of natural rock slides. National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 As if huge, ancient subterranean caverns weren’t enough, many of them are covered in twinkling blue glowworms that shine like stars above you. Liz Carlson, Outside Online, 24 June 2019 Go black-water rafting in a cave lit by glowworms, and take a wet ride along natural rock water slides. National Geographic, 17 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glowworm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of glowworm was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near glowworm

Cite this Entry

“Glowworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glowworm. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glowworm

noun
glow·​worm ˈglō-ˌwərm How to pronounce glowworm (audio)
: any of various insect larvae or adults (as of a firefly) that give off light

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