barklouse

or bark louse

[ bahrk-lous ]

noun

, plural bark·lice [bahrk, -lahys].

1. any of numerous insects of the order Psocoptera that live on the bark of trees and other plants.

Word History and Origins

Origin of barklouse¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; bark ² + louse

Example Sentences

But in 2014, a tiny insect called the barklouse broke even that rule when researchers reported that the females of all four species of a genus found in the caves of Brazil had a penis.

From Washington Post