wormhole

"Wormhole" is a fascinating word with two main meanings — one very literal and one that comes straight out of physics and science fiction. It paints a vivid picture no matter which sense you use.

1nounhole made by a worm

This is the original, everyday meaning. When worms burrow through wood, fruit, or soil, they leave behind small tunnels or holes. Those tiny passages are called wormholes. Think of an old wooden beam full of tiny holes — that's classic wormhole damage.

everyday language, nature, woodworking · Traditional, used for centuries

The antique table was covered in wormholes, which actually made it look more authentic.

She cut open the apple and found a wormhole running right through the core.

The old floorboards were weakened by years of wormholes left by wood-boring insects.

2nounshortcut through space and time

In physics and science fiction, a wormhole is a theoretical tunnel that connects two completely different points in space — or even time. Imagine folding a piece of paper so that two distant points touch, then poking a hole through both layers. That shortcut is the idea behind a wormhole. You could theoretically travel enormous distances in an instant. Scientists discuss this as a real (though unproven) concept, and it appears constantly in movies, books, and TV shows.

physics, science fiction, astronomy · Modern, widely used since the mid-20th century

In the film, the astronauts travel to another galaxy by passing through a wormhole.

Some physicists believe wormholes could exist, but no one has ever observed one.

The spaceship disappeared into the wormhole and emerged on the other side of the universe.

3nounfigurativerabbit hole / deep distraction (figurative)

People also use 'wormhole' figuratively to describe the experience of getting completely lost in a topic, website, or stream of content — especially online. You click on one video or article, and two hours later you are reading something totally unrelated. It feels like you were pulled through a tunnel with no way back. This sense is very common in casual conversation today.

everyday language, internet culture · Modern, very common in informal speech · figurative

I went down a wormhole of old documentary clips and lost track of time completely.

One search about ancient Rome sent me into a wormhole of history videos.

Be careful — that website is a wormhole. You will still be reading at midnight.