Illustrative Context

Don’t step on that worm.

Target Sense

• The most general term for the worm not as a single specific species but as a general form of animal: i.e. small, without legs, and which moves by a writhing movement.
• Follow common usage and basic vocabulary. Technical, biological classificatory criteria are not relevant — see also the definition for the separate IE-CoR meaning ant.
• The lexeme chosen must be applicable to the prototype target case of (earth)worms (of medium size, c. 7 cm.), where this body form is that of the adult.
• It may also be extendable to (generally smaller) ‘worms’ as can be found in fruit, such as an apple, in languages such as English where the same basic noun worm can be applied to these as well as to (earth)worms.
• Avoid, however, terms specific only to worms in the form of larvae or maggots, that refer specifically to a stage in the life-cycle of species whose adult body form is not that of a worm.
• The lexeme should normally be a singular term. If the basic term in a language is a collective, in the sense of a mass of worms, then a singulative should be given -- or consider whether this is the appropriate lexeme in any case, especially given the criteria above.
• Obviously, do not provide words for snakes or other superficially similar animals, nor terms specific to particular types or species of worm, e.g. sandworms, aquatic worms, parasitic worms in humans or other animals, and so on.