hookworm

1. (countable) Any of various parasitic bloodsucking roundworms which cause disease, especially the species Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, having hooked mouthparts and entering their hosts by boring through the skin.Examples: "A heavy infestation of more than 100 hookworms can suck up as much as 16 fluid ounces of blood a day. Since hookworm larvae can be transmitted through a mother's milk, infestations can kill infants."countable

2. (metonymic, uncountable) Infection with one of these parasites.Examples: "a case of hookworm"Synonyms: miner's worm, miner's anaemia, ;, miner's diseasemetonymicallyuncountable