What is the Latin word for glow-worm?

The usual Latin words for “glow-worm” are cicindēla, īnsecō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“glow-worm” in Latin

cicindēlaa firefly, glowworm; a candle īnsecōto cut up or into; to incise; to dissect

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

glow-worm

cicindela (Plin., 18, 26, 66, § 2, who there says that the rustics called them stellantes volutatus; the Greeks, lampyrides): insectum, quod lucet ignis modo noctu (Plin., 11, 28, 34): “lampyris noctiluca (Linn.; it is the female that emits light).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for glow-worm?: The usual Latin words for “glow-worm” are cicindēla, īnsecō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.