louse

American  

[lous, lous, louz] / laʊs, laʊs, laʊz /

noun

plural

lice, louses

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.

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verb (used with object)

loused, lousing

1. to delouse.

verb phrase

1. louse up to spoil; botch.

   Miscasting loused up the movie.

louse British  

/ 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

2. 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 an unpleasant or mean person

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verb

1. to remove lice from

2. slang (foll by up) to ruin or spoil

Etymology

Origin of louse

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

Explanation

A louse is a tiny insect that lives on the skin of animals and people. If you find a louse in your hair, you'll have to treat your scalp to get rid of any of its friends that might still be lurking there. Since they tend to travel in groups, the plural form of louse, lice, is much more common than the singular. Lice are small parasites that live on skin cells, blood, or other tiny bits of some host animal. If you're the host animal, you'll probably have an itchy head, and anyone who borrows your pillow or wears your hat will likely get lice too. A louse, informally, is also "an obnoxious person."

Example Sentences

The Shadow Transport Secretary Louse Haigh MP said "the future of services millions of passengers depend on" was at risk.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2023

Once again, we experience the world with Scout/Jean Louse; along with her, we are enraged or puzzled by Atticus as he now appears.

From Slate • Jul. 16, 2015

The Louse" Herrera, asked to clarify his remark that former Mexico manager Miguel Mejía Barón only keeps criticising him in public because "he can't stop thinking about me.

From The Guardian • Feb. 23, 2013

“Rosy-Fingered Dawn at Louse Point,” with its references to Homer and to a spit of land and sea near his new studio, dates from that year.

From New York Times • Sep. 15, 2011

A certain Man takes a Louse off of the King's Garment, and the King gives him 40 Crowns for it.

From Colloquies of Erasmus, Volume I. by Erasmus, Desiderius