Lexic.us

Definition of Glowworm

1. Noun. The luminous larva or wingless grub-like female of a firefly.

Definition of Glowworm

1. n. A coleopterous insect of the genus Lampyris; esp., the wingless females and larvæ of the two European species (L. noctiluca, and L. splendidula), which emit light from some of the abdominal segments.

Definition of Glowworm

1. Noun. The larva or wingless grub-like female of a beetle from the families ''Phengodidae'' or ''Lampyridae'' that gives out a green light from its abdomen. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Glowworm

1. a luminous insect [n -S]

Medical Definition of Glowworm

1. A coleopterous insect of the genus Lampyris; especially, the wingless females and larvae of the two European species (L. Noctiluca, and L. Splendidula), which emit light from some of the abdominal segments. "Like a glowworm in the night, The which hath fire in darkness, none in light." (Shak) The male is winged, and is supposed to be attracted by the light of the female. In America, the luminous larvae of several species of fireflies and fire beetles are called glowworms. Both sexes of these are winged when mature. See Firefly. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Glowworm

Literary usage of Glowworm

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Christian Examiner (1829)
"Everybody probably knows, that the male glowworm is a winged, erratic animal, yet may not have seen him. He has ever been a scarce creature to me, meeting, ..."

2. The American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge by George Ripley, Charles Anderson Dana (1883)
"glowworm, a name given to several serri- corn beetles, constituting the genus ... There are four well known species of glowworm in Europe, L. noctiluca, ..."

3. One Hundred Fables, Original and Selected by James Northcote, William Harvey (1829)
"THE ENVIOUS glowworm. ,N humble glowworm lying in a garden was moved with envy on seeing the effect of lights from a brilliant chandelier in a !s? ..."

4. The Lady of the Lake by Walter Scott (1893)
"... heath bell dark and brackens green; Unless where, here and there, a blade, Or lance's point, a glimmer made, Like glowworm twinkling through the shade. ..."

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