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Glite Dictionary
sea louse

sea louse

8.9
A small sea animal that lives on fish and sometimes eats dead plants or animals
  • noun
  • /si laʊs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : piojo de mar
  • Anything could've caused that, crabs, sea lice, anything.

I saw a dragon going through the water and I saw sea lice.

Examples

  • The sea louse clung to the fish's skin, feeding on its blood.

  • Many species of fish are affected by the presence of sea lice in their habitat.

  • This is not the sea lice variety or the larvae.

    The Bay (2012)

  • The fishermen call them "sea lice."

    The Bay (2012)

  • Scientists studied the sea louse to understand its role in the marine ecosystem.

Synonyms

fish louse
vssea louse
  • Specialized
9.5

A small animal that lives on fish and eats their blood or skin

is an isopod that often feeds on debris as well as parasitizing fish

Surface Forms

sea louse singular
sea lice plural

Morphology

sea + louse

The compound 'sea louse' is a straightforward modifier+noun composition: 'sea' specifies the marine habitat and 'louse' denotes a small parasitic arthropod, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a louse that lives in the sea (likely parasitizing fish). This habitat-based, compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English noun-noun formation, making the meaning immediately accessible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Sea louse gives a simple picture: a tiny louse, a small 'parasite' that clings to animals, living in the sea on fish. That's why it means a small creature that lives on or harms fish.