I. ˈlau̇s noun
Etymology: Middle English lous, from Old English lūs; akin to Old High German lūs louse, Welsh llau lice
Date: before 12th century
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 (as a biting louse) that lives on other animals or on plants and sucks their blood or juices
c. : any of several small arthropods (as a book louse) that are not parasitic
2. plural lous·es ˈlau̇-səz : a contemptible person : heel
II. ˈlau̇s, ˈlau̇z transitive verb
( loused ; lous·ing )
Date: 14th century
: to remove lice from