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German Word of the Day: Der Ohrwurm

The Local Germany
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German Word of the Day: Der Ohrwurm
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Ohrwurm is the German word for earwig and is literally translated as ‘ear worm’.

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It also refers to an actual type of small nocturnal insect. However, it is most often used to describe a catchy tune that you simply cannot get out of your head.

It can be used both to describe a song as memorable, and to describe the sensation of having a song stuck in your head.

The word ‘earworm’ is now sometimes used in English, such as in the UK the radio station BBC 6 Music accepts submissions for their listeners’ favourite earworms.

There was even a Spongebob Squarepants character called Ohrwurm who spent an episode living in Spongebob’s brain playing the same song on repeat.

Read more of our words of the day here

Examples:

Das Eurovision-Lied hat eine wunderbare Ohrwurm-Melodie.

The Eurovision song has a wonderful catchy melody.

Ich habe einen ganz großen Ohrwurm!

I have a song which I just can’t get out of my head!

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