Meanings
plural velvet worms
- Any of the phylum Onychophora of wormlike invertebrates, characterized by velvety skin texture, numerous stubby legs, and the ability to eject sticky slime to capture prey.
Synonyms: onychophoran
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of the phylum Onychophora of wormlike invertebrates, characterized by velvety skin texture, numerous stubby legs, and the ability to eject sticky slime to capture prey.
More synonyms by meaning
nounany of numerous velvety-skinned wormlike carnivorous animals common in tropical forests having characteristics of both arthropods and annelid worms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From velvet + worm. Named after their velvety skin texture and worm-like appearance.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Japanese 有爪動物
- 有爪動物 (yūsō dōbutsu)a carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
Māori ngāokeoke
- ngāokeokea carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
Polish pazurnica, pratchawiec
- pazurnicaa carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
- pratchawieca carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
Portuguese onicóforo
- onicóforoa carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
Spanish onicóforo
- onicóforoa carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
Swedish klomask
- klomaska carnivorous ecdysozoan worm
Cite this entry
velvet worm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/velvet%20worm
“velvet worm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/velvet%20worm. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “velvet worm,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/velvet%20worm.
Source: velvet worm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.