Word of the Day

: December 16, 2010

vermicular

adjective ver-MIK-yuh-ler

What It Means

1 : resembling a worm in form or motion

2 : of, relating to, or caused by worms

vermicular in Context

Students will observe and document the vermicular decomposition of vegetative waste.

"I tasted the smallest atoms of life in those few quiet minutes, drinking tea and waiting with the chickens before the rest of the world raised its head…. Despite the dust, the earthy pungency of the chicken manure, the remains of bones and shells and everything else they unearthed in their endless, restless scratching for vermicular treats, the shed and the run was a pleasant place." -- From Debra Adelaide's 2008 novel The Household Guide to Dying

Did You Know?

What does the word "vermicular" have in common with the pasta on your plate? If you're eating vermicelli (a spaghetti-like pasta made in long thin strings) the answer is "vermis," a Latin noun meaning "worm." If you dig deep enough, you'll find that "vermis" is the root underlying not only "vermicular" and "vermicelli," but also "vermiculate" (which can mean either "full of worms" or "tortuous") and even "worm" itself.