Enterobius

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genus of small, parasitic roundworms commonly known as pinworms, affecting the intestines of humans and other mammals
2. Characterized by a visible white body and a tail that resembles a pointed end, which causes itching around the anus
3. The infection caused by these worms is often associated with poor hygiene and can be treated with medication designed to eliminate intestinal parasites

Etymology: Pinworms, the small white threadlike roundworms that cause itching around the anus, are classed under this genus, and the name is a scientific coinage rather than a word with a folk history. It is built from two Greek elements: "enteron," meaning intestine or bowel, and "bios," meaning life. The name therefore describes the organisms as living in the gut, which is where adult worms reside before females migrate to the anal region to lay eggs at night. The species most often associated with the genus, "vermicularis," comes from Latin "vermiculus," a diminutive of "vermis," worm, so it means roughly "little worm." The genus name was given during the classification of parasitic nematodes in the 19th century, when naturalists were sorting many such worms into new genera. The meaning you supplied describes the appearance of the organism rather than the sense of the name, which is simply a label for a group of intestinal worms.

Synonyms: pinworm