Dictionary
hook•worm
Pronunciation: (hook'wûrm"), [key]—
n.
1. any of certain bloodsucking nematode worms, as
Ancylostoma duodenale and
Necator americanus, parasitic in the intestine of humans and other animals.
2. Also called
hook'worm disease". a disease caused by hookworms, which may enter the body by ingestion or through the skin of the feet or legs, causing abdominal pain, nausea, and, if untreated, severe anemia.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.