any parasitic blood-sucking nematode worm of the family Ancylostomatidae, esp Ancylostoma duodenale or Necator americanus, both of which cause disease. They have hooked mouthparts and enter their hosts by boring through the skin
hookworm in American English
(ˈhʊkˌwɜrm)
US
noun
any of a superfamily (Ancylostomatoidea) of small, parasitic, intestinal nematode worms with hooks around the mouth: found esp. in tropical climates