Meaning & Definition of word "Wormhole"

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    Wormhole

    /ˈwɜːrmhoʊl/

    noun:

    • 1. A hypothetical passage through space-time that could create shortcuts for long journeys across the universe.
      • Example: The scientist proposed a theory about a wormhole that could connect two distant galaxies.
    • 2. A conceptual model in physics that links two separate points in space and time.
      • Example: The idea of a wormhole challenges our conventional understanding of the universe.
    • 3. In science fiction, a wormhole is often depicted as a tunnel that allows for time travel or rapid interstellar travel.
      • Example: In the movie, the characters used a wormhole to travel back to ancient Earth.
    • 4. A region of space-time where gravitational pull is so strong that even light cannot escape, often theorized to exist in black holes.
      • Example: The physicists discussed the possibility of a wormhole forming at the center of a black hole.
    • 5. A metaphorical term used to describe an experience or situation that feels surreal or allows for rapid changes in state.
      • Example: After spending hours online, he felt like he'd fallen into a wormhole of information.

    Etymology

    The term combines 'worm' (as in a hole made by a worm) and 'hole', first used in physics in the 1930s.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    through the wormhole:

    Traveling through a hypothetical tunnel in space-time.

    wormhole travel:

    The concept of traveling through a wormhole to reach another part of the universe.

    Related Words

    spacetime:

    The four-dimensional continuum of space and time in physics.

    black hole:

    A region of space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing can escape from it.

    Slang Meanings of wormhole

    Meaning: A confusing or chaotic situation that feels like being lost in a wormhole.

    Example Sentence: After hours of online shopping, I felt like I’d fallen into a wormhole of consumerism.

    Meaning: A metaphor for a long and complicated journey or process.

    Example Sentence: Planning the event became a wormhole of miscommunication.