Vermiform

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈvɜː(ɹ)mɪfɔː(ɹ)m/

Definitions

1. Having the shape or form resembling a worm
2. Describing something that is long, thin, and curved like a worm
3. Characterized by a slender, elongated, and flexible wormlike shape

Etymology: "Vermiform" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it joins Latin "vermis," meaning "worm," with the suffix "-form," from Latin "forma," meaning "shape." Put together, it describes something shaped like a worm. The "-form" element is the same one found in "uniform," "cruciform" and "fusiform," so once you recognise it, the whole word reads like a set of instructions. The most famous use of the word is anatomical. The vermiform appendix, the small pouch projecting from the caecum, was named for its slender, worm-like shape. The term belongs to the vocabulary of scientific anatomy rather than everyday speech, and it was adopted into English in that technical register, so its meaning has stayed close to its literal sense of "worm-shaped" ever since.

Synonyms: worm-shaped, serpentine