head louse
- noun
- /hɛd laʊs/
:
piojo de cabeza
- Many parents are concerned when they discover that their child has a head louse after a sleepover.
Examples
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To find out if your child has a head louse, do a test!
Blog text (5) -
If your child is scratching their head frequently, it might be a sign that they have a head louse infestation.
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The head louse feeds on tiny amounts of blood from the scalp, causing itching and discomfort.
Synonyms
6
2.5
Small insects that live in hair and make the head itchy
A tiny insect that lives on the top of the head and causes strong itching
A small insect that lives on people's hair or clothing and feeds on blood
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a louse that lives on the head' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'head' (the body part) with 'louse' (a tiny parasitic insect); a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer this interpretation. This kind of noun + noun compound indicating location or type is cross-linguistically common, reinforcing its immediate comprehensibility.
Etymology
Head louse is a very literal name: it's a louse, a tiny insect that lives on the head and clings to hair. They feed on small amounts of blood and lay eggs called nits, so 'head louse' simply means 'a small insect that lives on the head'.