slowworm
/ˈsləʊwɜː(ɹ)m/ noun
Forms slowworms slow worm slow-worm
- noun A small Old World lizard, Anguis fragilis, often mistaken for a snake, having no legs and small eyes.
Synonyms
blindworm deaf adder hazelworm long-cripple steelworm Anguis fragilis
Etymology
From Middle English sloworm (possibly influenced by slow), from Old English slāwyrm (“slow-worm, blindworm”), from *slā, related to Norwegian slo (“slow-worm”), Swedish slå (“slow-worm”) + wyrm (“worm, snake”). Compare Swedish ormslå.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [AS. slawyrm; the first part is probably akin to sleán to strike, the reptile being supposed to be very poisonous. See Slay, v. t., and Worm.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “slowworm”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details