wyrm

Etymology

Borrowed from Old English wyrm. Doublet of worm, which was inherited.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /wɜːm/
• (US) enPR: wûrm, IPA^(key): /wɝm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

wyrm (plural wyrms)

1. (mythology) A huge limbless and wingless serpent
2. (fantasy) A vague term, but it usually refers to huge limbless and wingless serpents
3. (synonym) A sea serpent

See also

• Jörmungandr
• sea serpent
• worm

Noun

wyrm

1. Alternative form of worm

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wurmiz, from Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis. Cognate with Old Frisian wirm, Old Saxon wurm (Dutch worm), Old High German wurm (German Wurm), Old Norse ormr (Swedish orm (“serpent”)), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌼𐍃 (waurms, “worm, serpent”). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin vermis (“worm”), Lithuanian varmas (“midge”), Old East Slavic вермие (vermie, “locusts, worms”), Ancient Greek ῥόμος (rhómos, “earthworm”) (originally *ϝράμος (wrámos)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wyrm/

Noun

wyrm m (plural wyrmas)

1. a serpent or snake

   quotations:

   • "Me nædre beswac, fah wyrm þurh fægir word" (see references)

2. a creeping insect, maggot, grub, or worm

   quotations:

   • "Wyrm ðe boraþ treow termes vel teredo" (see references)

3. a worm or a snake, in the figurative sense of something lowly or despicable

   quotations:

   • "Ic eam wyrm (vermis) and nales mon" (see references)

See also

• draca (Old English for dragon)

References

• On-line Anglo-Saxon dictionary
• The Western Dragon