shipworm

noun

ship·​worm ˈship-ˌwərm How to pronounce shipworm (audio)
: any of various marine clams (especially family Teredinidae) that have a shell used for burrowing in submerged wood and a wormlike body and that cause damage to wharf piles and wooden ships

Examples of shipworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That could have huge consequences for the world Then there’s the underwater archeologist’s nightmare: shipworms. Laura Paddison, CNN, 14 Feb. 2024 This is Bankia setacea, also called the Northwest or feathery shipworm. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2014 Teredo navalis—a reddish shipworm, which can grow longer than a foot—ate through hulls. David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023 Researchers found the new-to-science shipworm, a kind of clam, in the Abatan River on the Philippines’ Bohol Island. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 10 Dec. 2019 In the case of the Titanic, the water was much too cold for the most common organic eater, the shipworm, but researchers have still found over 20 different microbes accelerating the decomposition of the ship, Sinclair says. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 13 Feb. 2023 The shipworm keeps bacteria in its gills that can digest wood, and steals their enzymes to use in its gut. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2014 Finding the rock-eating shipworm raises a broader issue. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 10 Dec. 2019 Shipway determined a species of naval shipworm called Teredo navalis was likely responsible for eating away the interior of the historic vessel. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shipworm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1778, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shipworm was circa 1778

Dictionary Entries Near shipworm

Cite this Entry

“Shipworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shipworm. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shipworm

noun
ship·​worm -ˌwərm How to pronounce shipworm (audio)
: any of various marine clams that have a wormlike body and a shell used for burrowing in underwater wood and that cause damage to ships and wharves

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