A type of parasitic worm that infects the livers and bile ducts of animals, causing disease.
From 'flag' (possibly referring to its flat, ribbon-like shape) and 'worm'. The term emerged in veterinary medicine to describe a specific parasitic infection, likely 19th century.
Flagworms were historically devastating to sheep and cattle herds—one worm can live 20+ years inside a host, slowly draining nutrients and causing what farmers called 'liver rot,' making this creature one of agriculture's invisible enemies.
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