chigger

[ chig-er ]

noun

1. Also called harvest mite, redbug. the six-legged larva of a mite of the family Trombiculidae, parasitic on humans and other vertebrates, sucking blood and causing severe itching and acting as a vector of scrub typhus and other infectious diseases.
2. chigoe.

chigger

/ ˈtʃɪɡə /

noun

1. Also calledchigoeredbug the parasitic larva of any of various free-living mites of the family Trombidiidae, which causes intense itching of human skin
2. See chigoe
   another name for the chigoe

Word History and Origins

Origin of chigger¹

1735–45, Americanism; variant of chigoe

Example Sentences

The body spray is made with 20 percent picaridin and protects you against mosquitos, ticks, gnats, chiggers, sand flies, biting flies, and no-see-ums for eight to twelve hours.

From Outside Online

While Suah does not know with certainty which bug is causing his patients so much distress, he said they are similar in appearance to bites from chiggers or oak mites.

From Washington Post

Loomis in his study of the chigger mites of Kansas examined many of the racers captured in the early years of my field work.

From Project Gutenberg

The racer is an important host of the common pest chigger, Trombicula alfreddugsi, which often attacks humans.

From Project Gutenberg

Four species of the chigger genus Trombicula have been recorded on racers from the Reservation.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a host and carrier of various parasites, including at least one species that regularly attacks humans—the common chigger.

From Project Gutenberg

What was most aggravating were two pests of that region, the seed-tick and the chigger.

From Project Gutenberg