Meanings
plural nightcrawlers
- An earthworm of the species Lumbricus terrestris, known for its large size and nocturnal surfacings.
- Northern USUSWesternMore generally, any arbitrarily large earthworm, especially those favored in angling.
- fantasyA person or creature who prowls in the night-time.
Arc lights slashed the cool air along the neon facades of bars and after-hours clubs. Street musicians shrilled. And the nameless nightcrawlers huddled in doorways […]
1995, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, Robert E. Weinberg, Martin Harry Greenberg, 100 Vicious Little Vampire Stories (page 147)
Synonyms & antonyms
nounterrestrial worm that burrows into and helps aerate soil; often surfaces when the ground is cool or wet; used as bait by anglers
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Finnish kasteliero, kastemato
- kastelieroLumbricus terrestris
- kastematoLumbricus terrestris
- onkimatolarge earthworm used as bait
- onkilierolarge earthworm used as bait
German Aalwurm, Gemeiner Regenwurm
- AalwurmLumbricus terrestris
- Gemeiner RegenwurmLumbricus terrestris
- TauwurmLumbricus terrestris
Russian обыкнове́нный дождево́й че́рвь
- обыкнове́нный дождево́й че́рвь (obyknovénnyj doždevój čérvʹ)Lumbricus terrestris
Spanish lombriz, carnada
- lombrizLumbricus terrestris
- carnadalarge earthworm used as bait
- cebolarge earthworm used as bait
Cite this entry
nightcrawler. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nightcrawler
“nightcrawler.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nightcrawler. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nightcrawler,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nightcrawler.
Source: nightcrawler on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.