whipworm

[ hwip-wurm, wip- ]

noun

1. any of several parasitic nematodes of the genus Trichuris, having a long, slender, whiplike anterior end.

whipworm

/ ˈwɪpˌwɜːm /

noun

1. any of several parasitic nematode worms of the genus Trichuris, esp T. trichiura, having a whiplike body and living in the intestines of mammals

Word History and Origins

Origin of whipworm¹

First recorded in 1870–75; whip + worm

Example Sentences

Cambridge University researcher Tianyi Wang said roundworm was the most common infection, but whipworm infection was also found.

From BBC

Petrified roundworm and whipworm eggs suggest that Roman-era and late medieval Brits were most likely to be plagued with these pests.

From Scientific American

“I had three separate bouts of malaria, I had amoebic dysentery, whipworm … And at the end of my time, I got hepatitis from contaminated water. I was in a clinic for over a week and really in pretty bad shape. So I limped home.”

From Washington Times

The Shuar she interviewed all lived in environments with many pathogens, such as roundworm, whipworm, and tuberculosis.

From Science Magazine

The researchers then analyzed the DNA in those samples, looking for genetic traces of two of the most common types of parasitic worms endemic in many countries today: the whipworm Trichuris trichiura, and the hookworm belonging to the genus Ascaris.

From Science Magazine