glowworm

• glow-worm

From Middle English glouworm; equivalent to glow +‎ worm.

Compare German Glühwurm.

glowworm (plural glowworms)

1. 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.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     The glowworm shows the matin to be near
     And ’gins to pale his uneffectual fire.
     Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.

   • 1604, William Alexander, The Alexandraean Tragedie, Act V, Scene 2, in The Monarchicke Tragedies, London: Ed. Blount, 1607,

     Some things afarre doe like the Glow-worme shine,

     That lookt to neere haue of that light no signe.

   • 1612–1613 (date written), John Webster, The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy. , London: Nicholas Okes, for Iohn Waterson, , published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

     Glories (like glowe-wormes) a farre off, shine bright,
     But look’d to neere, haue neither heate, nor light.

   • 1681, Andrew Marvell, “The Mower to the Glo-Worms”, in Miscellaneous Poems‎, London: Robert Boulter, page 44:

     Ye Glo-worms, whose officious Flame
     To wandring Mowers shows the way,
     That in the Night have lost their aim,
     And after foolish Fires do stray;

   • 1819, William Wordsworth, “The Waggoner” Canto 1, in The Miscellaneous Poems of William Wordsworth, London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 1820, p. 7,

     Confiding Glow-worms, ’tis a night

     Propitious to your earth-born light!

   • 1954, Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood ‎, New York: New Directions, page 1:

     Young girls lie bedded soft or glide in their dreams, with rings and trousseaux, bridesmaided by glowworms down the aisles of the organplaying wood.

2. (Australia, New Zealand) A carnivorous gnat larva in the keroplatid genus Arachnocampa that spins threads to capture insects attracted by its glow.

• common glowworm (Lampyris noctiluca)

• firefly

• glowworm on Wikipedia.Wikipedia