body louse


noun

See under louse(def 1).

Origin of body louse

First recorded in 1565–75

Definition for body louse (2 of 2)

louse
[ noun lous; verb lous, louz ]
/ noun laʊs; verb laʊs, laʊz /

noun, plural lice [lahys] /laɪs/ for 1–3, lous·es for 4.

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 (body louse or head louse) and Phthirius pubis (crab louse or pubic louse).
any insect of the order Mallophaga (bird louse, biting louse, or chewing louse), parasitic on birds and mammals, having mouthparts adapted for biting.
Slang. a contemptible person, especially an unethical one.

verb (used with object), loused, lous·ing.

to delouse.

Verb Phrases

louse up, Slang. to spoil; botch: Miscasting loused up the movie.

Origin of louse

before 900; 1910–15 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

Example sentences from the Web for body louse

British Dictionary definitions for body louse

louse
/ (laʊs) /

noun plural lice (laɪs)

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 Related adjective: pedicular
biting louse or bird louse any wingless insect of the order Mallophaga, such as the chicken louse: external parasites of birds and mammals with biting mouthparts
any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the plant louse and book louse
plural louses slang an unpleasant or mean person

verb (tr)

to remove lice from
(foll by up) slang to ruin or spoil

Word Origin for louse

Old English lūs; related to Old High German, Old Norse lūs

Medical definitions for body louse (1 of 2)

louse
[ lous ]

n. pl. lice (līs)

Any of numerous small, flat-bodied, wingless biting or sucking insects of the orders Mallophaga or Anoplura, many of which are external parasites on humans.

Medical definitions for body louse (2 of 2)

body louse

n.

A parasitic louse that infests the body and clothes of humans.