gapeworm
noun
gape·worm
ˈgāp-ˌwərm 
sometimes ˈgap-
: a nematode worm (Syngamus trachea) that causes gapes (see gape entry 2 sense 4) in birds
Examples of gapeworm in a Sentence
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He and other rehabbers are overloaded with waterfowl riddled with gapeworm, a parasite that lives and breeds in a bird’s trachea and causes it to gasp or shake its head.
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New York Times, 20 July 2021
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New York Times, 20 July 2021
Cite this Entry
“Gapeworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gapeworm. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
gapeworm
noun
gape·worm
ˈgāp-ˌwərm
: a nematode worm of the genus Syngamus (S. trachea) that causes gapes of birds
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