English
Etymology
From OE. wyrm
Noun
en-noun
- poetic dragon, particularly one without legs or wings
- poetic snake, particularly a large one
See also
worm
Old English
Etymology
From Germanic *wurmi-, from a suffixed form of Indo-European *wer- �turn, bend�. Cognate with Old Frisian wirm, Old Saxon wurm (Dutch worm), Old High German wurm (German Wurm), Old Norse ormr (Swedish orm �serpent�), Gothic ������ �worm, serpent�. The IE root is also the source of Latin vermis �worm�, Lithuanian varmas �midge�, Old Russian vermije �locusts, worms�, Greek ῥ�μο� (originally *��άμο�) �earthworm�.
Pronunciation
rfp
IPA: /virm/
Noun
wyrm m (pl wyrmas)
- a serpent or snake
#:quotations:
#:*"Me nædre beswac, fah wyrm þurh fægir word" (see references)
- a creeping insect, maggot, grub, or worm
#:quotations:
#:*"Wyrm ðe boraþ treow termes vel teredo" (see references)
- a worm or a snake, in the figurative sense of something lowly or despicable
#:quotations:
#:*"Ic eam wyrm (vermis) and nales mon" (see references)
Derived terms
wyrmfah
wyrmgaldere
wyrmgalere
wyrmgeard
wyrmgeblæd
wyrmhælsere
wyrmhiw
wyrmhord
wyrmlic
See also
draca (Old English for dragon)
References
On-line Anglo-Saxon dictionary
The Western Dragon
Category:Fantasy
Category:Old English nouns
el:wyrm
fr:wyrm
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