screwworm
noun
screw·worm
ˈskrü-ˌwərm 
1
: a blowfly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) of the warmer parts of America whose larva develops in sores or wounds or in the nostrils of mammals including humans with serious or sometimes fatal results
especially
: its larva
2
: any of several flies other than the screwworm and especially their larvae which parasitize the flesh of mammals
Examples of screwworm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sterilized male screwworms are released to mate with females, which lay eggs that don’t hatch.
—
Emily Mullin, WIRED, 28 June 2023
The successful screwworm campaign relied on blasts of radiation to sterilize the males.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2017
Since the 1950s, the US government has used it to tamp down screwworms, parasitic flies that feed on the flesh of livestock.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 28 June 2023
The technique is so effective, the US was able to completely eradicate the screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) in 1982.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 27 Jan. 2015
Primary myiasis is caused by the screwworm’s fly cousins and involves a deliberate breach of skin and tissue by larvae.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2013
The larvae were sent to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and were identified as the New World screwworm.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2013
Similar techniques have been applied before, reaching as far back as the 1950s when sterile screwworm flies were released in Florida, effectively eliminating the parasitic species there.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2017
This approach eradicated the screwworm in the United States.
—New York Times, 11 Aug. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Emily Mullin, WIRED, 28 June 2023
The successful screwworm campaign relied on blasts of radiation to sterilize the males.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2017
Since the 1950s, the US government has used it to tamp down screwworms, parasitic flies that feed on the flesh of livestock.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 28 June 2023
The technique is so effective, the US was able to completely eradicate the screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) in 1982.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 27 Jan. 2015
Primary myiasis is caused by the screwworm’s fly cousins and involves a deliberate breach of skin and tissue by larvae.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2013
The larvae were sent to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and were identified as the New World screwworm.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2013
Similar techniques have been applied before, reaching as far back as the 1950s when sterile screwworm flies were released in Florida, effectively eliminating the parasitic species there.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2017
This approach eradicated the screwworm in the United States.
—New York Times, 11 Aug. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near screwworm
Cite this Entry
“Screwworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screwworm. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
screwworm
noun
screw·worm
ˈskrü-ˌwərm
: the larva of a blowfly of the warm parts of America that develops in the wounds or sores of mammals and may cause disease or death
also
: the blowfly itself
Medical Definition
screwworm
noun
screw·worm
ˈskrü-ˌwərm
1
: either of two dipteran flies of the genus Cochliomyia:
a
: one (C. hominivorax) of the warmer parts of America whose larva develops in sores or wounds or in the nostrils of mammals including humans with serious or sometimes fatal results
especially
: its larva
2
: a dipteran fly of the genus Chrysomya (C. bezziana) that causes myiasis in Africa and southern Asia
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share