flatworm
1 synonym for flatworm, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Any of the many parasitic or free-living worms of the phylum Platyhelminthes, with a flattened body and no skeleton or body cavity.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
platyhelminth
How to use flatworm
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a parasitic flatworm
free-living flatworms
a flatworm species
flatworm anatomy
It is a plain biological term used in both everyday and scientific writing.
Etymology
Flatworm combines flat and worm, and the word was formed as a calque, or direct translation, of the scientific name Platyhelminthes.
Full origin of flatworm →Frequently asked questions
What is a flatworm?
It is any of a large group of worms in the phylum Platyhelminthes that have a flattened body and lack a skeleton or internal body cavity.
Are all flatworms parasites?
No, some flatworms live freely in water or damp habitats, while others live as parasites inside other animals.
What phylum do flatworms belong to?
They belong to the phylum Platyhelminthes, and the common name flatworm is a direct translation of that scientific name.
