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
1
A small hole or tunnel bored by a worm.
"The old wooden beam was riddled with wormholes."
2
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- wormholes
- Third person singular
- wormholes
- Past tense
- wormholed
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.
Class of 1957
wormhole joined the language around 1957.
See the full Class of 1957 →
Rhymes for wormhole
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.
