1
plural lice
ˈlīs 
a
: any of various small wingless usually flattened insects (orders Anoplura and Mallophaga) parasitic on warm-blooded animals
b
: a small usually sluggish arthropod (such as a biting louse) that lives on other animals or on plants and sucks their blood or juices
c
: any of several small arthropods (such as a book louse) that are not parasitic
Synonyms
Noun
- bastard
- beast
- bleeder [British]
- blighter [chiefly British]
- boor
- bounder
- bugger
- buzzard
- cad
- chuff
- churl
- clown
- creep
- cretin
- crud [slang]
- crumb [slang]
- cur
- dirtbag [slang]
- dog
- fink
- heel
- hound
- jerk
- joker
- lout
- pill
- rat
- rat fink
- reptile
- rotter
- schmuck [slang]
- scum
- scumbag [slang]
- scuzzball [slang]
- skunk
- sleaze
- sleazebag [slang]
- sleazeball [slang]
- slime
- slimeball [slang]
- slob
- snake
- so-and-so
- sod [chiefly British]
- stinkard
- stinker
- swine
- toad
- varmint
- vermin
Examples of louse in a Sentence
Noun
a problem with head lice
Her ex-husband is a real louse.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
An older study found that 2% tea tree oil effectively killed head lice after 30 minutes and louse eggs after five days.11
8.
—Kathi Valeii, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2024
Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2017
See all Example Sentences for louse 
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Noun
These historic varieties are the grapes that thrived before the phylloxera louse ravaged European vineyards in the late 19th century, nearly destroying the global wine industry.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
An older study found that 2% tea tree oil effectively killed head lice after 30 minutes and louse eggs after five days.11
8.
—Kathi Valeii, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
Will Ferrell figure out a way to get along, their fathers (Mel Gibson, John Lithgow) show up for the holidays to louse everything up in this comedy sequel.
—Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2017
See all Example Sentences for louse
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Cite this Entry
“Louse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/louse. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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