pinworm
noun
pin·worm
ˈpin-ˌwərm 
1
: any of numerous small nematode worms (family Oxyuridae) that infest the intestines and especially the cecum of various vertebrates
especially
: a worm (Enterobius vermicularis) parasitic in humans
2
: any of several rather slender insect larvae that burrow in plant tissue
Examples of pinworm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kayce Bell, assistant curator of mammalogy at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, studies parasites in chipmunks, including intestinal parasites called pinworms.
—
Kate Golembiewski, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
That burden typically clocks in at fewer than five pinworms per chipmunk, which isn’t enough to do any serious damage to the hosts.
—Kate Golembiewski, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
The most common parasitic infection in the United States, says De Latour, are probably pinworms, or white, parasitic worms that are found in the large intestine and can cause anal itching.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2023
But pinworms are most often found in preschool-aged children, says De Latour, and the worms are about the thickness of a dime — a far cry from the thick, lengthy, creepy-crawlies seen in the TikTok Shop videos.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2023
The pinworm is a white, small, and delicate parasite, measuring 8 to 13 mm (with the smaller male 2 to 5 mm).
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2017
Itching in the anal area is the most common indication of a pinworm infection.
—Samantha Lauriello, Health, 9 May 2023
Common intestinal helminth parasites include Enterobius vermicularis (the pinworm), Ancylostoma duodenale (the Old World hookworm), Necator americanus (the New World hookworm), Taenia saginata (the beef tapeworm), and Ascaris lumbricoides (the giant roundworm).
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2017
The pinworm is the most common intestinal parasite, followed closely by the hookworm.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2017
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Kate Golembiewski, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
That burden typically clocks in at fewer than five pinworms per chipmunk, which isn’t enough to do any serious damage to the hosts.
—Kate Golembiewski, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
The most common parasitic infection in the United States, says De Latour, are probably pinworms, or white, parasitic worms that are found in the large intestine and can cause anal itching.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2023
But pinworms are most often found in preschool-aged children, says De Latour, and the worms are about the thickness of a dime — a far cry from the thick, lengthy, creepy-crawlies seen in the TikTok Shop videos.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2023
The pinworm is a white, small, and delicate parasite, measuring 8 to 13 mm (with the smaller male 2 to 5 mm).
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2017
Itching in the anal area is the most common indication of a pinworm infection.
—Samantha Lauriello, Health, 9 May 2023
Common intestinal helminth parasites include Enterobius vermicularis (the pinworm), Ancylostoma duodenale (the Old World hookworm), Necator americanus (the New World hookworm), Taenia saginata (the beef tapeworm), and Ascaris lumbricoides (the giant roundworm).
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2017
The pinworm is the most common intestinal parasite, followed closely by the hookworm.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Pinworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinworm. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pinworm
noun
pin·worm
-ˌwərm
: any of numerous small roundworms that infest the intestines of various vertebrates
especially
: one that infests human beings
Medical Definition
pinworm
noun
pin·worm
ˈpin-ˌwərm
: any of numerous small nematode worms of the family Oxyuridae that have the tail of the female prolonged into a sharp point and infest the intestines and especially the cecum of various vertebrates
especially
: a worm of the genus Enterobius (E. vermicularis) that is parasitic in humans
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