Was the term “bookworm” inspired by the long, flat, grey insects that live in the bindings of old books as mentioned in Patricia Wentworth’s 1931 mystery, Danger Calling?
Yes, the word “bookworm” originated from combining “book” with “worm,” which referred to an insect that eats holes in the binding and paper of old manuscripts.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “worm” was defined as the larva of an insect that feeds on and destroys various materials, including books. The term was used with defining terms like “book” to specify the kind of worm.
The first citation for this sense of “worm” comes from an Anglo-Saxon riddle describing a book-eating moth, which originally referred to destructive insect larvae.
Although the answer to the riddle could be “bookworm,” there are no recorded examples of an Old English version of the term.
The term “bookworm” first appeared in English writing in the 16th century as a negative term for an avid reader who was always immersed in a book, similar to how we would view a smartphone addict today.
The Oxford English Dictionary provides examples of the term being used negatively for people who were overly devoted to books.
Over time, the term evolved to also refer to insects that damage books, particularly wood-boring beetle larvae that bore through paper.
The negative connotation of “bookworm” as applied to people was likely influenced by the figurative use of “worm” since Anglo-Saxon times to describe contemptible individuals.
While “bookworm” was initially a negative term, it has now come to generally mean a person who is devoted to reading and study, as reflected in modern dictionary definitions. However, there are still occasional instances of the term being used negatively.
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The post Bookworms, in etymology & entomology first appeared on Grammarphobia.
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