Clamworms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Burrowing marine worms with many bristles, often dug up and used as fishing bait along coastlines
2. Segmented sea creatures from the ragworm family that anglers dig from sand and mud to bait their hooks
3. Bristly saltwater annelids found in coastal sediments, prized by fishermen as bait for catching fish

Etymology: "Clamworms" is the plural of "clamworm," a name for a marine bristle worm that burrows in mudflats and is prized as fishing bait. The base word is a compound of "clam" and "worm." "Worm" comes from Old English "wyrm," while "clam" is related to Old English "clamm," meaning a bond or fetter, which likely refers to the shellfish's tightly closing shell.

Synonyms: ragworm