First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1louse
noun \ˈlau̇s\
: a type of small insect that lives on the bodies of people or animals
: a bad or cruel person
Full Definition of LOUSE
1
plural lice \ˈlīs\ a : any of various small wingless usually flattened insects (orders Anoplura and Mallophaga) parasitic on warm-blooded animals b : a small usually sluggish arthropod (as a biting louse) that lives on other animals or on plants and sucks their blood or juices c : any of several small arthropods (as a book louse) that are not parasitic
2
plural lous·es \ˈlau̇-səz\ : a contemptible person : heel
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Origin of LOUSE
Middle English lous, from Old English lūs; akin to Old High German lūs louse, Welsh llau lice
Related to LOUSE
- Synonyms
- bastard, beast, bleeder [British], blighter [chiefly British], boor, bounder, bugger, buzzard, cad, chuff, churl, clown, creep, cretin, crud [slang], crumb [slang], cur, dirtbag [slang], dog, fink, heel, hound, joker, jerk, lout, pill, rat, rat fink, reptile, rotter, schmuck [slang], scum, scumbag [slang], scuzzball [slang], skunk, sleaze, sleazebag [slang], sleazeball [slang], slime, slimeball [slang], slob, snake, so-and-so, sod [chiefly British], stinkard, stinker, swine, toad, varmint, vermin
Other Invertebrates (Except Insects) Terms
2louse
verb \ˈlau̇s, ˈlau̇z\
lousedlous·ing
Definition of LOUSE
transitive verb
: to remove lice from
See louse defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of LOUSE
14th century
LOUSE[1] Defined for Kids
louse
noun \ˈlau̇s\
plural lice \ˈlīs\
Definition of LOUSE for Kids
1
: a small, wingless, and usually flat insect that lives on the bodies of warm-blooded animals
2
: an insect or related arthropod that resembles a body louse and feeds on plant juices or decaying matter
Medical Dictionary
louse
noun \ˈlau̇s\
plural lice \ˈlīs\
Medical Definition of LOUSE
: any of the small wingless usually flattened insects that are parasitic on warm-blooded animals and constitute the orders Anoplura and Mallophaga
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