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dust mite

American  
[duhst mahyt] / ˈdʌst ˌmaɪt /

noun

dust mites plural
  1. any of various mites, especially Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae, that ingest shed skin cells and may cause allergic reactions.


dust mite British  

noun

  1. either of two mites, Dermatophagoides farinae or D. pteronyssinus , that feed on shed human skill cells. Their excrement is a household allergen associated with respiratory allergies and asthma

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of dust mite

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The way it steers the immune system towards fighting an infection also seemed to reduce the response to house dust mite allergens – which are a trigger of allergic asthma.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

"As we expected, the dust mite didn't cause itching in the absence of IL-31, but we were surprised to see that inflammation went up."

From Science Daily • Oct. 13, 2023

Three tablets treat grass or ragweed allergies, and a fourth gained approval in 2017 for dust mite allergies.

From Salon • Aug. 15, 2023

“This will reduce allergens and dust mite colonies and won’t make your bed into a breeding ground for things that don’t make it smell so fresh,” she adds.

From Washington Post • Nov. 2, 2021

Not when a dust mite could be lurking in her midst.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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