earthworm

/ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m/

//ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"earthworm" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“earthworm” is uncommon English (frequency #57,993 among 2,246 “E” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,993
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A worm that lives in the ground.

Corpus desk

Index EN-earthworm · earthworm · English

earthworm · rank #57,993 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #57,993
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH ebbing

Nearest frequency peer: ebbing (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “earthworm”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “earthworm” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for earthworm
PropertyValue
Headwordearthworm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m/
Letters9
Frequency rank#57,993
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “earthworm” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).earthwormfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “ebbing” (#57,994), “ecchi” (#57,996), “ductile” (#57,988). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “earthworm” is #57,993. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

earthworm is uncommon English at frequency #57,993 among 2,246 “E” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

earthworm doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English erthe-worm, erþe-worm, erþe worm (also as worm of þe erthe, worm of þe erþe), equivalent to earth + worm. Compare Saterland Frisian Äidwurm (“earthworm”), West Frisian ierdwjirm (“earthworm”), Dutch aardworm (“earthworm”), less common Ge… The correct English form is earthworm, spelled E-A-R-T-H-W-O-R-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A worm that lives in the ground.
  2. 2
    A worm of the family Lumbricidae, or, more generally, of the suborder Lumbricina.
  3. 3
    A contemptible person; a groveller.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how earthworm appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. It does not, however, happen that the whole spermatosphere is converted into spermatoblasts; there remains a passive portion, which in the earthworm occupies a central position; this is the "sperm-blasophore," or "blastophoral cell."
  2. Before the study was begun, the known oligochaete fauna of Tasmania consisted of six species of aquatic microdriles, twenty-three indigenous species of megascolecid earthworms, and introduced earthworms of the family Lumbricidae.

Etymology

From Middle English erthe-worm, erþe-worm, erþe worm (also as worm of þe erthe, worm of þe erþe), equivalent to earth + worm. Compare Saterland Frisian Äidwurm (“earthworm”), West Frisian ierdwjirm (“earthworm”), Dutch aardworm (“earthworm”), less common German Erdwurm (“earthworm”).

Synonyms

rainwormgroundwormwigglerred wormred wigglernightwalkernightcrawlerdew worm

This word in other languages

ver de terre(Français)Regenwurm(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "earthworm"?
"earthworm" is spelled E-A-R-T-H-W-O-R-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m/.
What does "earthworm" mean?
As a noun, "earthworm" means: A worm that lives in the ground.
How do you pronounce "earthworm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "earthworm" is /ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "earthworm"?
From Middle English erthe-worm, erþe-worm, erþe worm (also as worm of þe erthe, worm of þe erþe), equivalent to earth + worm. Compare Saterland Frisian Äidwurm (“earthworm”), West Frisian ierdwjirm (“earthworm”), Dutch aardworm (“earthworm”), less... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "earthworm", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

eclampsia#57,998enquiring#58,003exertions#58,013corrector#57,956

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list