Definitions

1. noun

a type of parasitic worm, typically of the genus Hairbachia, that infects the bodies of various insects, especially grasshoppers, causing them to behave abnormally or even jump to water where they can be eaten by fish.

“The researcher studied the lifecycle of the hairworm, which affects the behavior of its host insect.”

2. noun

a type of worm that infects the body of a fish, often causing it to jump out of the water to its death.

“The fisherman caught a fish with a hairworm inside, which had caused it to jump out of the water.”