Meaning & Definition of word "Wormhole"

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.