Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

slowworm

/ˈsləʊwɜː(ɹ)m/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: slow-worm
IPA: /ˈsləʊwɜː(ɹ)m/

16

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A small Old World lizard, Anguis fragilis, often mistaken for a snake, having no legs and small eyes.

Example Sentences

"Well, sir, it may be we shall have some better orations of it anon: well, Ile watch you as narrowly as ever you were watcht, and Ile play with you as the nightingale with the slowworme;[…]"

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.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: sloworm, slāwyrm

Inflected Forms

slowworms (plural) slow worm (alternative) slow-worm (alternative)

Synonyms

blindworm deaf adder hazelworm long-cripple steelworm anguis fragilis

Questions

How do you pronounce slowworm?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsləʊwɜː(ɹ)m/.
What does slowworm mean?: A small Old World lizard, Anguis fragilis, often mistaken for a snake, having no legs and small eyes.
Where does slowworm come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce slowworm

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “slowworm”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈsləʊwɜː(ɹ)m/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “slowworm”.
Repeat and practice — Say “slowworm” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.