louse
A small parasitic wingless insect of the order PsocodeaA small parasitic wingless insect of the order Psocodea.
» Tom has lice.
Tom hat Läuse.
Meaning
3 sensesA small parasitic wingless insect of the order Psocodea.
Laus
вошьvošʹ, вшиvši, во́шкаvóška
во́шаvóša
wingless usually flattened bloodsucking insect parasitic on warm-blooded animals
(colloquial, dated)A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.
Dreckskerl, Dreckkerl, Lumpenhund
гни́даgnída, гадgad, га́дская кровьgádskaja krovʹ
a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect
(slang)The currency sign ¤.
Examples
24 sentencesTom has lice.
deTom hat Läuse.
Anyone can get head lice.
Lice are a real problem.
Clothes make people, rags make lice.
deKleider machen Leute, Lumpen machen Läuse.
This child is full of lice.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
From Middle English lous, lows, lowse, from Old English lūs, from Proto-West Germanic *lūsFrom Middle English lous, lows, lowse, from Old English lūs, from Proto-West Germanic *lūs, from Proto-Germanic *lūs, from Proto-Indo-European *lewH-.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: liceSynonyms
11 synonyms- wingless usually flattened bloodsucking insect parasitic on warm-blooded animals:sucking louse
- any of several small insects especially aphids that feed by sucking the juices from plants:plant louse
- a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect:worminsectdirt ball
- wingless insect with mouth parts adapted for biting; mostly parasitic on birds:bird lousebiting louse
Word family
42 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular