Wormhole
/ˈwɜːrm.hoʊl/noun
A hypothetical passage through space-time that connects two distant points in the universe.
Did you know?The term 'wormhole' evokes imagery of ancient myths where serpents or worms represented portals to other realms, linking the mundane with the cosmic.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“to turn, twist”
Old English
Old English
wyrm
“a serpent or dragon, often associated with the underworld”
Old High German
Old High German
wurm
“a serpent or snake, symbolizing hidden knowledge or danger”
19th Century
English
wormhole
“coined to describe a theoretical passage in physics, likening it to a worm's burrowing through space”