Definition of shipworm in English English dictionary
Any of several wormlike marine mollusks, of the family Teredinidae, that bore through the wooden hulls of ships and other woody material entering the sea
In our waters, however, the shipworm seldom attains a length of over a foot-and-a-half long.
Any of several wormlike marine mollusks, of the family Teredinidae, that bore through the wooden hulls of ships; their role in the marine ecosystem is in the recycling of woody material entering the sea
The shipworms burrow in wood, and are destructive to wooden ships, piles of wharves, etc
or pileworm Any of approximately 65 species (family Teredidae) of common marine bivalves that can severely damage wooden structures, including ship hulls and wharves. Its anterior end is covered by a shell; the rest is a tubelike structure, sometimes up to 6 ft (1.8 m) long. File-like ridges on its white shell cut into wood at 8-12 rasping motions a minute. It secretes lime to line its burrow, and its tubelike portion extends back to the burrow opening. It ingests food particles and oxygen from the water; some wood is also ingested as food
wormlike marine bivalve that bores into wooden piers and ships by means of drill-like shells