booklouse

or book louse

[ book-lous ]

noun

, plural book·lice [book, -lahys].

1. any of numerous minute, wingless insects of the order Psocoptera, often living among books or papers.

booklouse

/ ˈbʊkˌlaʊs /

noun

1. any small insect of the order Psocoptera , esp Trogium pulsatorium ( common booklouse ), a wingless species that feeds on bookbinding paste, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of booklouse¹

First recorded in 1865–70; book + louse