Tapeworm vs. Earthworm — What's the Difference?

Any of various long segmented parasitic flatworms of the class Cestoda that lack a digestive system and have hooks or suckers for attaching to the intestines of vertebrates, including humans. Also called cestode.

An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan, are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation, and usually have setae on all segments.

(countable) Any parasitical worm of the class or infraclass Cestoda, which infest the intestines of animals, including humans, often infecting different host species during their life cycle.

Any of various terrestrial annelid worms of the class Oligochaeta, especially those of the family Lumbricidae, that burrow into and help aerate and enrich soil.

(countable) A broad fish tapeworm, Diphyllobothrium latum.

A worm that lives in the ground.

(uncountable) Infection by tapeworms.

A worm of the family Lumbricidae, or, more generally, of the suborder Lumbricina.

Any one of numerous species of cestode worms belonging to Tænia and many allied genera. The body is long, flat, and composed of numerous segments or proglottids varying in shape, those toward the end of the body being much larger and longer than the anterior ones, and containing the fully developed sexual organs. The head is small, destitute of a mouth, but furnished with two or more suckers (which vary greatly in shape in different genera), and sometimes, also, with hooks for adhesion to the walls of the intestines of the animals in which they are parasitic. The larvæ (see Cysticercus) live in the flesh of various creatures, and when swallowed by another animal of the right species develop into the mature tapeworm in its intestine. See Illustration in Appendix.

(figurative) A contemptible person; a groveller.

Ribbon-like flatworms that are parasitic in the intestines of humans and other vertebrates

Any worm of the genus Lumbricus and allied genera, found in damp soil. One of the largest and most abundant species in Europe and America is L. terrestris; many others are known; - called also angleworm and dewworm.

A mean, sordid person; a niggard.

Terrestrial worm that burrows into and helps aerate soil; often surfaces when the ground is cool or wet; used as bait by anglers