louse

1 of 2

noun

1
plural lice ˈlīs How to pronounce louse (audio)
a
: any of various small wingless usually flattened insects (orders Anoplura and Mallophaga) parasitic on warm-blooded animals
b
: a small usually sluggish arthropod (such as a biting louse) that lives on other animals or on plants and sucks their blood or juices
c
: any of several small arthropods (such as a book louse) that are not parasitic
2
plural louses ˈlau̇-səz How to pronounce louse (audio) : a contemptible person : heel
what a beast, what a cad, what a louse he had beenWalter Karig

louse

2 of 2

verb

loused; lousing

transitive verb

: to remove lice from

Examples of louse in a Sentence

Noun a problem with head lice Her ex-husband is a real louse.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
As banjo-plucking Mister, the louse of a husband who acquires Celie for the price of a cow and a couple of eggs and then treats her like a workhorse to be beaten at will, Colman Domingo is suitably contemptible. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2023 Humans and lice have coevolved for thousands of years. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2023 The oldest louse specimen known to scientists is 10,000 years old and was found in Brazil in 2000. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2023 While the former louse cluster has populated much of the world, the latter is concentrated in Europe and the New World. Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023 The study also fills in some of lice’s evolutionary gaps and the team sequenced the louse full genome for future research. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2023 Fleas and lice transmit the bacteria that causes typhus when the bugs defecate upon biting and the excrement infects the wound. Maia Pandey, NBC News, 28 July 2023 On Walmart This foamy mousse uses enzymes rather than chemicals or pesticides to effectively remove louse and nits. Alena Hall, Verywell Health, 6 Mar. 2023 Outbreaks of head lice typically happen at daycare centers and schools when direct contact allows a louse to crawl from one person’s hair into another. Bill Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2021
Verb
Will Ferrell figure out a way to get along, their fathers (Mel Gibson, John Lithgow) show up for the holidays to louse everything up in this comedy sequel. Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'louse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English lous, from Old English lūs; akin to Old High German lūs louse, Welsh llau lice

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of louse was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near louse

Cite this Entry

“Louse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/louse. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

louse

noun
ˈlau̇s
1
plural lice
ˈlīs
a
: any of various small wingless usually flat insects that live as parasites on the bodies of warm-blooded animals
b
: any of several other small arthropods (as a book louse or wood louse) that are not parasites
2
plural louses
ˈlau̇-səz
: a mean person

Medical Definition

louse

noun
plural lice ˈlīs How to pronounce louse (audio)
: 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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