The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Any of several worms of the phylum Nematoda, having unsegmented, cylindrical bodies, often narrowing at each end, and including parasitic forms such as the hookworm and pinworm. Also called roundworm.
n. A small invertebrate animal of the phylum Nematoda.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
adj. Same as nematoid.
n. Any worm of the phylum Nematoda; a roundworm; -- they are unsegmented worms having a cylindrical elongated body. They may live freely in soil or water, or as parasites in plants or animals.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. Same as nematoid.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. unsegmented worms with elongated rounded body pointed at both ends; mostly free-living but some are parasitic
Word Usage
"Jaenike studied a species of fly, Drosophila neotestacea, which is rendered sterile by a parasitic worm called a nematode, one of the most abundant, diverse, and destructive parasites of plants and animals in the world."