🇯🇵Japanese Source WordCode: JA

頭から離れない曲

Pronunciation / Transliteration: atamakara hanarenai kyoku

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Earworm/ˈɪər.wɜːm/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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🇯🇵 Example Sentence in Japanese:

"そのCMの曲はずっと頭から離れない。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A catchy song or melody that runs continually in a person's mind after it is no longer playing.

    "That new pop single is a total earworm; I've been humming it all morning."
  2. 2

    In entomology, the common name for certain insect larvae that bore into ears of corn.

    "The farmer inspected the maize crop for signs of earworm damage."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived as a direct loan-translation (calque) from the German word 'Ohrwurm', combining 'Ohr' (ear) and 'Wurm' (worm). First appearing in English usage in the late 20th century, the term metaphorically describes a tune that burrows into the mind and refuses to leave.

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