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noun

der Ohrwurm, ¨-er

earworm

Definition & meaning

An Ohrwurm has two distinct meanings:

  1. Musical context: It refers to a catchy tune or a song that gets stuck in your head and keeps playing in your mind repeatedly, often involuntarily.
  2. Biological context: It is the common German name for an earwig, a small, nocturnal insect of the order Dermaptera, characterized by a pair of pincer-like appendages on its abdomen.

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a masculine noun (der). It is a compound word consisting of two parts:

  • Ohr (ear)
  • Wurm (worm)

Historically, the term originates from the popular (but scientifically incorrect) folk belief that these insects crawl into the ears of sleeping people to lay eggs or burrow into the brain. While the biological name persists, the figurative meaning (a catchy song) became a very common metaphorical use in the 20th century, describing a melody that "worms" its way into your ear and stays there.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms for the musical meaning:

Synonyms for the biological meaning:

  • Ohrkneifer
  • Ohrenkneifer

Antonyms:

  • There are no direct antonyms for these terms. However, in a musical context, one might describe a song that is impossible to remember as unprägnant or vergessenswert.

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Examples

Mehrere Ohrwürmer bleiben oft lange im Kopf.noun

Several earworms often stay in your head for a long time.

Hast du auch diesen schrecklichen Ohrwurm seit gestern?noun

Have you also had this terrible earworm since yesterday?

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