Where does “penis worm” come from?

penis worm (English) comes from English Worm, from Middle English worm, from Old English wyrm, from Old English lēah, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.

penis worm (English): Any of the marine worms of the phylum Priapulida, with a phallic shape and a spiny proboscis

Definitions

  1. Any of the marine worms of the phylum Priapulida, with a phallic shape and a spiny proboscis

Ancestry of “penis worm”, step by step

penis worm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Worm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWormA generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm
2Middle EnglishwormA worm or similar small wormlike animal that...
3Old Englishwyrmcreeping insect; maggot, grub, worm; snake,...
4Old Englishlēahmeadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,...
5Proto-West Germaniclauhclearing; meadow
6Proto-Germaniclauhazclearing; meadow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlówkosclearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via English penis

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpenisThe male reproductive organ used for sexual...
2Latinpēnistail
3Proto-Indo-Europeanpē̆s-to blow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówkos