Wormcasts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The nutrient-rich excrement of earthworms that enhances soil fertility and structure
2. Organic matter processed by earthworms, which improves the soil's nutrient content and aeration
3. The fecal output of worms, often rich in beneficial microorganisms and vital nutrients for plant growth

Etymology: Wormcasts are the small heaps of soil that earthworms leave on the surface after they have swallowed earth, extracted its nutrients, and excreted the rest. The word is built from two ordinary English parts: "worm," from Old English "wyrm," meaning a creeping animal or serpent, and "cast," in its older sense of something thrown out or discharged. Compounds like this were common in English because speakers could simply join a plain noun to a second noun describing what the creature did. The plural "wormcasts" is simply the form of "wormcast" used when there is more than one such heap, which is the usual situation, since a single worm rarely leaves only one.