What does "glowworm" mean?

The larva or wingless grub-like female of a beetle from the families Phengodidae or Lampyridae that gives out a green light from its abdomen.

What is a synonym for "glowworm"?

Common synonyms include: blink, blinking, candle fly, coruscation, fire beetle, firefly.

noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The larva or wingless grub-like female of a beetle from the families Phengodidae or Lampyridae that gives out a green light from its abdomen.
"The glowworm shows the matin to be near And ’gins to pale his uneffectual fire. Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me."
2
the luminous larva or wingless grub-like female of a firefly wordnet
3
A carnivorous gnat larva in the keroplatid genus Arachnocampa that spins threads to capture insects attracted by its glow. Australia, New-Zealand

"The butterfly is a winged caterpillar. The beetle covers its wings with cases. The glowworm shines at night."

From Middle English glouworm; equivalent to glow + worm. Compare cognate German Glühwurm; compare also firefly, lightning bug, and lanternfly.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.