CultureJuly 17, 2026
earworm
EER-wurm
Definition
A catchy song or melody that keeps repeating in a person's mind.
Etymology
The word is a direct translation of the German word 'Ohrwurm', which combines 'Ohr' (ear) and 'Wurm' (worm), referring to the sensation of a tune crawling into one's ear.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a song that becomes uncontrollably popular on social media because it is catchy and hard to forget.
Meet the man behind that viral Puerto Rico song all over your social feeds
Read the full article ↗SMH.com.au