vermicularadj.n.
/vəːˈmɪkjᵿlə/, /vəˈmɪkjᵿlə/, U.S. /vərˈmɪkjələr/ A. adj.
1. Physiology.† a. ? Full of vermicules. Obsolete. rare.in extended use.1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 201 Sometimes these muscles are seen working under the skin in vermicular fashion.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > infestation by noxious creatures > [adjective] > with worms
wormy1600
vermiculate1605
vermicular1655
vermiculous?1691
vermiculose1727
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > division Vermes > [adjective] > consisting of > infested with > small worms
vermicular1655
1655 N. Culpeper et al. tr. L. Rivière Pract. Physick vii. iii. 159 Somtimes it [the blood] is intermitting, watery, vermicular, when the Lungs are rotten by too much moisture.
b. = peristaltic adj.Frequently from c1835.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > digestive or excretive organs > digestive organs > intestines > [adjective] > motion of
vermicular1673
antiperistaltic1706
vermiculant1707
antivermicular1717
1673 Philos. Trans. 1672 (Royal Soc.) 7 5137 We instance the Vermicular motion of the veins [of plants] when exposed to the air.
1722 W. Cheselden Anat. Humane Body (ed. 2) iii. xii. 194 After this it [sc. the food] is continually mov'd by the..Vermicular Motion of the Guts.
1791 E. Darwin Bot. Garden: Pt. I i. Notes 99 In such a structure it is easy to conceive how a vermicular or peristaltic motion of the vessel..must forcibly push forward its contents.
1834 S. Cooper Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) I. 9 Its [sc. the stomach's] muscular fibres are calculated to produce a constant undulatory vermicular movement.
1835–6 Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. I. 668/1 On the supposition that the arteries undergo an undulatory or vermicular contraction.
1881 St. G. Mivart Cat 181 This form of movement is also spoken of as the vermicular motion of the intestine.
2.
a. Having the sinuous shape or form characteristic of a worm; consisting of, characterized by, tortuous outlines or markings; sinuous, wavy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > series of curves > [adjective] > having many or winding curves
tortivous14..
anfractuous?a1425
tortuous1426
tortuea1500
snakish1532
winding1538
wormy1545
boughty1570
wriggled1572
sinuous1578
serpent-likea1586
crankled1594
serpent1597
snaky1600
flexuous1605
snaking1605
cringle-crangle1606
voluminous1611
serpenting?1614
serpentine1615
curvy1623
serpentizing1628
worming1631
lacinious1648
anguineous1656
anguine1657
anfractuose1680
twisting1683
vermicular1712
worm-like1721
flexuose1727
meandering1748
crinkum-crankum1766
serpentiform1777
serpentining1799
anguiform1800
ophite1828
tortuose1829
cranky1836
sinuose1836
serpentile1857
twisty1857
sinuated1859
vermiculatea1864
twinyc1868
tortive1880
crinkle-crankle1881
serpentinous1882
quirky1890
twistical1890
waggly1894
wriggly1901
squiggly1902
wiggly1903
contortionate1911
wig-waggy1914
curvaceous1965
1712 J. Browne tr. P. Pomet et al. Compl. Hist. Druggs I. 180 The Vermicular, or Worm-like Gum, is one of the Arabian or Senega Gums.
1754 Philos. Trans. 1753 (Royal Soc.) 48 87 This second furrow was..not in a strait line, but in a vermicular direction.
1785 W. Cowper Task i. 30 A generation more refin'd..made three legs four, Gave them a twisted form vermicular.
1815 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. (1816) I. xiv. 438 The vermicular shape..of the masses with which the [larval] cases are surrounded.
1860 W. F. Hook Lives Archbishops Canterbury I. i. 33 His mantle..ornamented with stripes or vermicular figures.
1875 C. D. E. Fortnum Maiolica ii. 16 Pottery of Moresque character and ornamentation with vermicular pattern in copper lustre.
b. Botany. (See quot. 1866.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > part defined by form or function > [adjective] > having specific shape
fingered1597
fistular1640
umbilicated1693
pectinal1705
fornicated1750
deltoid1753
linguiform1753
panduriform1753
lingulated1754
campaniform1758
augmented1760
ringed1760
securiform1760
urceolate1760
utricular1760
lingulate1763
vermicular1766
pandurated1771
navicular1793
semicolumnar1793
ungulate1802
capitellate1808
meniscoid1821
virgate1821
mitriform1824
pulvinate1824
caudated1829
vulviform1829
caudate1830
circinate1830
intruded1830
trochlear1830
scalariform1836
hippocrepiform1847
neottious1850
pulviniform1851
foxglove-shaped1856
clathroid1857
molariform1857
velate1857
strombuliform1859
calceiform1860
coralline1860
forniciform1860
urceolar1860
calceolate1861
frustulose1866
pandurate1866
intruse1870
scalar1880
meniscoidal1881
fingerposted1885
applanate1887
trochleariform1895
naviculoid1898
halonate1911
1766 Compl. Farmer at Madder The [madder] plants which are raised from layers..produce very few of those vermicular roots, which are the only valuable ones.
1849 J. H. Balfour Man. Bot. Gloss. 641/1.
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. 1210/2 Vermicular, worm-shaped; thick, and almost cylindrical, but bent in different places.
c. Anatomy. = vermiform adj. 3a, 3b.
ΚΠ
1843 J. J. G. Wilkinson tr. E. Swedenborg Animal Kingdom I. v. 148 The vermicular appendage is seen on one side of the fundus of the cœcum, resembling a miniature intestine.
1891 Cent. Dict. (at cited word) Vermicular appendix or process.
3.
a. Of or pertaining to, characteristic of, a worm or worms; resembling or like a worm.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > division Vermes > [adjective]
vermicular1713
helminthic1755
wormy1801
vermiculous1813
vermiform1835
vermian1878
vermean1905
1713 W. Derham Physico-theol. viii. vi. 423 In its Vermicular-State, it is a Red-Maggot.
1720 Bibliotheca Biblica I. 152 Without the Taint of the polluted Vermicular Life.
1753 Philos. Trans. 1751–2 (Royal Soc.) 47 449 Several species of vermicular tubes found in the sea.
1803 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. III. 114 Across the body are several annular divisions, or rather rugæ of the skin, by which the fish seems to partake of a vermicular nature.
1804 J. Grahame Sabbath 81 We may compare the erect spirit of a British Legislature with the vermicular servility of..the Senate of France.
1892 Sc. Leader 24 May 4 Vermicular patience, however, has its limits.
b. Accomplished or made by worms; performed by means of worms. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > division Vermes > [adjective] > accomplished or performed by
vermicular1715
1715 tr. G. Panciroli Hist. Memorable Things Lost II. i. 266 From thence came also Indian Figs, Nuts and Canes, and a vermicular kind of Web made of Silk.
1822 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 12 153 The party, which the work stood pledged to oppose through all its vermicular attacks on the glorious fabric of British Institutions.
1887 C. Hazard Mem. J. L. Diman xv. 338 The trout here disdain flies. As Lewis phrases it, vermicular fishing is what succeeds.
c. vermicular work n. (see quot. 1728 and vermiculated adj. 1c).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > architectural ornament > [noun] > representation of tracks made by worms
vermicular work1728
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. Vermicular Work,..in Sculpture, a sort of Ornaments used in Rustick Work; consisting of Frets, or Knobs, cut with Points, representing, in some sort, the Tracks made by Worms.
4. figurative and in extended use.1825 Examiner 307/2 Fawcett..wanted a little more personal flexibility..; he cannot, at his time of life, be sufficiently vermicular.1854 J. R. Lowell Cambr. 30 Years Ago in Prose Wks. (1890) I. 89 Refusing to molest the canker-worms..because we were all vermicular alike.1872 J. Ruskin Arrows of Chace (1880) II. 189 Criminals..are partly men, partly vermin; what is human in them you must punish—what is vermicular, abolish.
a. Of the nature of a worm. vermicular ascaris, the threadworm, Oxyurus (Ascaris) vermicularis.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > division Vermes > [adjective] > resembling or of the nature of
vermiform1730
vermicular1784
vermiculous1818
vermiculose1847
helminthoid1854
scolecoid1858
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > phylum Nemathelminthes > [noun] > class Nematoda > family Ascaridae > genus Oxyuris > member of > oxyuris vermicularis (threadworms)
vermicular ascaris1784
threadworm1804
teat-worm1890
seat-worm1893
1784 W. Cowper Let. 13 Dec. (1981) II. 310 No animal of the vermicular or serpentine kind is crested, but the most formidable of all.
1813 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. (ed. 4) III. 395 The Vermicular Ascarides are very common in the intestines of children.
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. I. 314 For the cure of vermicular ascarides, or maw-worms and bots, these oils have been used in the form of injections.
b. Comprising or consisting of worms.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > division Vermes > [adjective] > consisting of
wormatic1665
vermicular1886
1886 H. F. Lester Under Two Fig Trees viii. 117 Their [sc. worms'] minds, like their bodies, must be glutinous; hence they stick to the thin-end theory... There is no sect of ‘bigendians’ in the vermicular fold.
5. Pathology. Of diseases: Due to, caused by, intestinal worms.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of bowels or intestines > [adjective] > infestation by parasites > caused by
verminous1666
verminose1747
vermicular1794
1794 R. J. Sulivan View of Nature I. 237 Hence the probable utility of fixed air in vermicular diseases.
a1822 P. B. Shelley Devil in Prose Wks. (1880) II. 400 Persons subject to vermicular and animalcular diseases.
= vermicule n. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > division Vermes > [noun] > member of (worm) > small
cranet1577
wormling1605
wormlet1611
vermicle1657
nip-bud1658
vermicular?1691
vermiculus1694
vermicule1713
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > eggs or young > [noun] > young or development of young > larva > thought to be generated by decay or maggot
wormOE
matheOE
maddocka1250
mawka1425
maggot?a1475
vermicular?1691
vermiculus1694
vermicule1713
?1691 R. Clark Vermiculars Destroyed 9 A sort of invisible Worms or Vermiculars.
?1691 R. Clark Vermiculars Destroyed 11 The Putrefaction..is degenerated into innumerable Vermiculars.
Derivatives
verˈmicularly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > series of curves > [adverb] > in many or winding curves
wrinklingly1387
cringle-crangle1781
crinkle-crankle1804
vermicularly1812
flexuously1846
sinuously1847
meanderingly1865
serpentiningly1871
sinuosely1874
sinuous1885
meandrically1886
1812 S. Edwards New Bot. Garden I. 84 The seeds..vermicularly wrinkled.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
adj.n.1655