tapeworm
C1technical, medical, informal (figurative)
Definition
Meaning
A long, flat parasitic worm that lives in the intestines of vertebrates, including humans.
Any of various cestode parasites; figuratively, something that drains resources or lives parasitically.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a biological/medical term. Can be used metaphorically to describe a person or organization that exploits resources without giving anything back.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the same term.
Connotations
Identical biological and potential negative figurative connotations.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general discourse, common in medical/biological contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] has a tapeworm[subject] is infected with a tapeworma tapeworm [verb, e.g., lives, grows] in [location]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Informal/Figurative] He's a tapeworm on the company finances.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in negative figurative use: 'That consultant fee is a real tapeworm on our budget.'
Academic
Common in biology, medicine, veterinary science, and public health texts.
Everyday
Used when discussing health, pets, travel warnings, or rare infections.
Technical
The precise term for parasitic flatworms of the class Cestoda.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The dog must have tapewormed from eating raw offal.
- (rare/non-standard)
American English
- (Rarely used as a verb; 'infected with tapeworm' is standard.)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form.)
adjective
British English
- The vet discussed tapeworm prophylaxis.
- It was a classic tapeworm case.
American English
- The tapeworm burden was significant.
- She had a tapeworm infection.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My cat had a tapeworm. The vet gave her medicine.
- You can get a tapeworm from eating undercooked meat.
- The tapeworm's lifecycle involves an intermediate host, such as a pig or a cow.
- Public health campaigns in the region successfully reduced the incidence of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a measuring TAPE that's a WORM. It's long, segmented, and unwelcome inside you.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PARASITE IS A THIEF / A PROBLEM IS A PARASITE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation 'ленточный червь' is correct, but the figurative use is less established in Russian. Avoid calquing figurative sentences like 'он - ленточный червь компании' as it may sound unnatural.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'tape worm' (two words is less common). Confusing with 'roundworm' or 'hookworm', which are different parasites.
Practice
Quiz
In a figurative business context, calling a department a 'tapeworm' suggests it:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, segments of the adult tapeworm, which look like small grains of rice or flat ribbons, can be passed in stool and are visible.
It can be. While some cause mild symptoms like abdominal discomfort, others can lead to severe malnutrition, cysticercosis (a potentially dangerous condition affecting the brain), or intestinal blockage.
It is almost universally written as one compound word: 'tapeworm'. The two-word form 'tape worm' is archaic and rarely used.
No. The word carries an exclusively negative connotation, both literally (as a harmful parasite) and figuratively.