bookworm

noun

book·​worm ˈbu̇k-ˌwərm 

: a person unusually devoted to reading and study

Synonyms

• dink [slang]
• dork [slang]
• geek
• grind
• nerd
• swot [British]
• weenie
• wonk

Examples of bookworm in a Sentence

She was always a bookworm when she was a kid.

a bookworm who prefers reading to just about any other activity

Recent Examples on the Web

There are too many potential highlights to enumerate here, but here are some of the books scheduled to arrive in the next few months that have my bookworm blood pumping. —Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2025

Kindle Paperwhite Even paper bookworms rave about the quality of the Kindle Paperwhite. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024

Liang Wenfeng hires young people and bookworms for his engineering team, and is described as a humble and nerdy leader. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2025

Comic fans and color-loving bookworms pretty much had to wait for Kaleido and Gallery iterations for something more visually satisfying. —Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bookworm

• affirm
• confirm
• cutworm
• earthworm
• infirm
• midterm
• tapeworm
• wireworm
• angiosperm
• echinoderm
• berm
• ferm

Kids Definition

bookworm

noun

book·​worm -ˌwərm 

1

: any of various insect larvae that feed on the binding and paste of books

2

: a person devoted to reading or study