Wormhole

WORD OF THE DAY

wormhole \ noun \ ˈwərm-ˌhōl

Definition
1: a hole or passage burrowed by a worm
2: a hypothetical structure of space-time envisioned as a tunnel connecting points that are separated in space and time

Examples
While decidedly rooted in science fiction — the film’s plot is propelled by a jet engine falling through some kind of wormhole — Donnie Darko’s political sensibility endures.
— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2021

Prince would get on the internet and go down a wormhole and be binge-watching a bunch of stuff.
— Justin Curto, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2021

Did you know?
If you associate "wormhole" with quantum physics and sci-fi, you'll probably be surprised to learn that the word has been around since Shakespeare's day - although, admittedly, he used it more literally than most modern writers.
 To Shakespeare, a "wormhole" was simply a hole made by a worm, but even the Bard subtly linked "wormholes" to the passage of time; for example, in The Rape of Lucrece, he notes time's destructive power "to fill with worm-holes stately monuments."
To modern astrophysicists, a wormhole isn't a tunnel wrought by a slimy invertebrate, but a theoretical tunnel between two black holes or other points in space-time, providing a shortcut between its end points.