oorwurm
Dutch
Alternative forms
- oorworm
Etymology
From Middle Dutch oorworm. Equivalent to oor (“ear”) + worm (“worm, critter”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈoːr.ʋʏrm/
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: oor‧wurm
Noun
oorwurm m (plural oorwurmen, diminutive oorwurmpje n)
- earwig (insect of the order Dermaptera)
Usage notes
The form oorworm was the most common until around the middle of the twentieth century, but in contemporary Dutch the form oorwurm is dominant.