Standard Lemma guide

slowworm

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈsləʊwɜː(ɹ)m/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blindworm, deaf adder, hazelworm, long-cripple, steelworm

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lizard

2

noun

Meaning 2

small burrowing legless European lizard with tiny eyes; popularly believed to be blind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blindworm, Anguis fragilis

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: anguid lizard

History

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.

Across languages

Translations

61 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Asturian: esculibiertu — Anguis fragilis
  • Asturian: aragüezu — Anguis fragilis
  • Asturian: escolanciu — Anguis fragilis
  • Basque: ziraun — Anguis fragilis
  • Bulgarian: слепок (slepok) — Anguis fragilis
  • Catalan: vidriol — Anguis fragilis
  • Catalan: serp de vidre — Anguis fragilis
  • Catalan: noia — Anguis fragilis
  • Catalan: llisona — Anguis fragilis
  • Cornish: anav — Anguis fragilis
  • Czech: slepýš — Anguis fragilis
  • Dutch: hazelworm — Anguis fragilis
  • Esperanto: angviso — Anguis fragilis
  • Estonian: vaskuss — Anguis fragilis
  • Finnish: vaskitsa — Anguis fragilis
  • Franco-Provençal: anvouèt — Anguis fragilis
  • French: orvet — Anguis fragilis
  • Galician: escáncer — Anguis fragilis
  • Galician: liscanzo — Anguis fragilis
  • German: Blindschleiche — Anguis fragilis
  • German: Haselwurm — Anguis fragilis
  • German: Hartwurm — Anguis fragilis
  • Hungarian: lábatlan gyík — Anguis fragilis
  • Ingrian: vaskimato — Anguis fragilis
  • Irish: earcán — Anguis fragilis
  • Irish: earcán caoch — Anguis fragilis
  • Italian: orbettino — Anguis fragilis
  • Korean: 유럽무족도마뱀 (yureommujokdomabaem) — Anguis fragilis
  • Manx: ardnieu kyagh — Anguis fragilis
  • Norwegian Bokmål: stålorm — Anguis fragilis
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: sleve — Anguis fragilis
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: slo — Anguis fragilis
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: stålorm — Anguis fragilis
  • Persian: کلمره — Anguis fragilis
  • Polabian: snok — Anguis fragilis
  • Polish: padalec — Anguis fragilis
  • Portuguese: licranço — Anguis fragilis
  • Portuguese: cobra-de-vidro — Anguis fragilis
  • Portuguese: licanço — Anguis fragilis
  • Portuguese: alicanço — Anguis fragilis
  • Romanian: năpârcă — Anguis fragilis
  • Russian: верете́ница (vereténica) — Anguis fragilis
  • Scottish Gaelic: nathair-challtainn — Anguis fragilis
  • Slovene: slepec — Anguis fragilis
  • Spanish: lución — Anguis fragilis
  • Spanish: enánago — Anguis fragilis
  • Spanish: culebrilla de cristal — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: blindorm — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: blindödla — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: kopparorm — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: kopparödla — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: näder — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: nädra — Anguis fragilis
  • Swedish: ormslå — Anguis fragilis
  • Turkish: yılanımsı kertenkele — Anguis fragilis
  • Volapük: rovät — Anguis fragilis
  • Walloon: dizi — Anguis fragilis
  • Walloon: colevrot — Anguis fragilis
  • Walloon: scourlot — Anguis fragilis
  • Welsh: madfall — Anguis fragilis
  • Welsh: neidr ddefaid — Anguis fragilis