noun

wormhole

WM-hohl

Wormhole (noun) means a small hole or tunnel bored by a worm. Example: “The old wooden beam was riddled with wormholes.”

noun

A small hole or tunnel bored by a worm.

"The old wooden beam was riddled with wormholes."

In physics and science fiction, a theoretical shortcut through spacetime connecting two distant points.

"The crew traveled through a wormhole to reach the far galaxy."

How to use wormhole

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a literal hole made by a worm, or a science-fiction/theoretical shortcut through space and time.

Common pairings

travel through a wormhole riddled with wormholes

Word forms

wormholed past tense, wormholes plural, wormholes singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old wooden beam was riddled with _____.

Etymology

Originally just "worm" plus "hole"; the physics meaning was introduced by physicist John Archibald Wheeler in 1957.

· First attested 1957

Class of 1957 wormhole joined the language around 1957.

chuffed grinch laser

See the full Class of 1957 →

Rhymes for wormhole

ole hole vole mole sole pole cole dole role stole whole Poole

See all rhymes for wormhole →

Frequently asked questions

What does “wormhole” mean?

The word “wormhole” means a small hole or tunnel bored by a worm. In plain terms, either a literal hole made by a worm, or a science-fiction/theoretical shortcut through space and time.

How do you pronounce “wormhole”?

“Wormhole” is pronounced WM-hohl (/ˈwɝmˌhoʊl/ in IPA).

How do you use “wormhole” in a sentence?

Here is “wormhole” used in a sentence: “The old wooden beam was riddled with wormholes.”

What part of speech is “wormhole”?

“Wormhole” is a noun.

Where does the word “wormhole” come from?

The word “wormhole” dates back to around 1957. Originally just "worm" plus "hole"; the physics meaning was introduced by physicist John Archibald Wheeler in 1957.

How many meanings does “wormhole” have?

“Wormhole” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small hole or tunnel bored by a worm.