bookworm

[ book-wurm ]

noun

1. a person devoted to reading or studying.
2. any of various insects that feed on books, especially a booklouse.

bookworm

/ ˈbʊkˌwɜːm /

noun

1. a person excessively devoted to studying or reading
2. any of various small insects that feed on the binding paste of books, esp the book louse

Word History and Origins

Origin of bookworm¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; book + worm

Example Sentences

As a child, she was a "bookworm" who loved attending acting classes and workshops.

From BBC

Instead, the bookworm twins are forced to witness their father, Percy, further wither and drink himself away: He’s a former Parisian juggler in a wheelchair after being hit by a drunk driver.

From Los Angeles Times

"Bookworm" is a cute thing to call a voracious reader, but actual bookworms -- as well as microorganisms and time -- break down the flour pastes commonly used to keep old publications in one piece.

From Science Daily

They hoped it would be a way to spread the organic bookworm spirit they’d instilled in their five children while dialing up representation for readers who had trouble finding characters who looked like them.

From New York Times

On the way, ask the driver to stop by Bookworm Hanoi — one of the largest foreign-language bookstores in the country — which has a good collection of well-preserved vintage books on Vietnam.

From New York Times