Where does “pinworm” come from?

pinworm (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.

pinworm (English): Any of several nematode worms, of the family...

Definitions

  1. Any of several nematode worms, of the family...

Ancestry of “pinworm”, step by step

pinworm 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 PIN

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPINAcronym of personal identification number;...
2Middle Englishpinne
3Old Englishpinnpin; peg; an instrument of writing; pen
4Proto-Germanicpinnazpin
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbend-point, pin; peg, tip, protruding point, edge;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówkos