louse

[ noun lous; verb lous, louz ]

noun

, plural lice [lahys] lous·es

1. any small, wingless insect of the order Anoplura sucking louse, parasitic on humans and other mammals and having mouthparts adapted for sucking, as Pediculus humanus humanus body louse or Pediculus humanus capitis head louse and Phthirius pubis crab louse, or pubic louse.
2. any insect of the order Mallophaga bird louse, biting louse, or chewing louse, parasitic on birds and mammals, having mouthparts adapted for biting.
3. plant louse.
4. Slang. a contemptible person, especially an unethical one.

verb (used with object)

, loused, lous·ing.

1. to delouse.

verb phrase

1. Slang. to spoil; botch:

   Miscasting loused up the movie.

louse

/ laʊs /

noun

1. any wingless bloodsucking insect of the order Anoplura: includes Pediculus capitis ( head louse ), Pediculus corporis ( body louse ), and the crab louse, all of which infest man pedicular
2. biting louse
   biting lousebird louse any wingless insect of the order Mallophaga, such as the chicken louse: external parasites of birds and mammals with biting mouthparts
3. any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the plant louse and book louse
4. slang.
   louses an unpleasant or mean person

verb

1. to remove lice from
2. slang.
   foll by up to ruin or spoil

Word History and Origins

Origin of louse¹

First recorded before 900; 1910–15 louse fordef 4; Middle English lous(e), luse, plural lise, lice; Old English lūs, plural lȳs; cognate with Dutch luis, German Laus, Old Norse lūs

Word History and Origins

Origin of louse¹

Old English lūs; related to Old High German, Old Norse lūs

Example Sentences

The tubes running along the louse are respiratory tubes, called tracheae, carrying oxygen to tissues.

From Science News

The hog louse lives primarily on swine, where the insect feeds on blood, and is one of the largest sucking lice.

From Science News

Joshua Benoit isn’t surprised that the first insect found to survive such high pressures is the seal louse.

From Science News For Students

The seal louse is the only one of them able to survive in the ocean, says Leonardi.

From Science News For Students

All louse species, he notes, even those that live on humans, need to stick with their host animals to survive.

From Science News For Students

Only two soil types in the world are inhabitable for this root louse: one is sand, and the other is slate.

From The Daily Beast

His spineless duplicity confirms that the good guy is actually pretty much a louse.

From The Daily Beast

Next in line is the body louse—the only dangerous member of the troika.

From The Daily Beast

This not only makes you look like a louse, it makes you look like a helpless, bed-wetting man-child.

From The Daily Beast

When Silajdzic raised this, Milosevic said, “I am not a louse,” and yielded immediately.

From The Daily Beast

While a counsellor was pleading at the Irish bar, a louse unluckily peeped from under his wig.

From Project Gutenberg

The itch-mite (Acarus scabiei) and the louse (Pediculus capitis, corporis, vel pubis) are the more common members of the group.

From Project Gutenberg

The good influence of the operations of the Trinity louse might be shown by many interesting instances.

From Project Gutenberg

The messengers came to the house of Xmucane, who, filled with alarm, dispatched a louse to carry the summons to her grandsons.

From Project Gutenberg

Brisk as a body-louse she trips,Clean as a penny drest; Sweet as a rose her breath and lips,Round as the globe her breast.

From Project Gutenberg