Worms

Worms was a name for the race of Dragons, and especially those wingless kinds (such as Glaurung himself) who crawled on the ground.

Contents 1 Other names 2 Inspiration 3 Portrayal in adaptations 4 References

[edit] Other names

In Gnomish, one of Tolkien's early conceptions of an Elven language, "worm" is gwem.^[1]

[edit] Inspiration

Worm is an actual old word for dragon,^[2] derived from Old English wyrm, Old Norse ormr ("serpent").

[edit] Portrayal in adaptations

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Worms are one of the various breeds of Dragon-kind. The term is used exclusively for wingless dragons, to differentiate them from the winged Drakes.

References

1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 45
2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Verlyn Flieger, Douglas A. Anderson (eds.), Tolkien On Fairy-stories: Expanded edition, with commentary and notes, p. 108