acarology

American  

[ak-uh-rol-uh-jee] / ˌæk əˈrɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the branch of zoology dealing with mites and ticks.

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acarology British  

/ ˌækəˈrɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of mites and ticks

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Other Word Forms

• acarologist noun

Etymology

Origin of acarology

acar(us) + -o- + -logy

Explanation

Acarology is the scientific study of ticks and mites. While these pests might seem like a weird subject to some people, they're very important to the ecosystem and can teach us a lot about life on Earth. The acar- in acarology comes from Acari, a scientific name for ticks and mites considered as a group. That, plus the ending -ology, meaning "the scientific study of," gives you a word that means "the scientific study of ticks and mites." Fun fact from acarology: ticks and mites are actually arachnids like spiders and scorpions, not insects, so it's technically inaccurate to call them "bugs!"