earthworm

plural earthworms

1. A worm that lives in the ground.

   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."

   1880, Journal of Microscopy, volume 3

   Synonyms: rainworm, groundworm, wiggler, red worm, red wiggler, nightwalker, nightcrawler, dew worm

2. A worm of the family Lumbricidae, or, more generally, of the suborder Lumbricina.

   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.

   1975, Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Zoology, volume 26, page 205

3. figurativelyA contemptible person; a groveller.