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Glite Dictionary
bed bug

bed bug

84 2.1
A small insect with no wings that lives in beds and bites people at night
  • noun
  • /bɛd bʌg/
translation icon : chinche
  • We discovered that our hotel room was infested with bed bugs during our stay.
  • bed bugs bite
  • get rid of bed bugs
  • bed bug infestation

Like, kids couldn't come see me because they were so ate up with bed bugs, you know what I mean?

Examples

  • We have been able to solve many bed bug infestations without call-backs.

    Blog text (3)

  • I have seen several bed bugs in different locations in my apartment over the past few months.

    Blog text (3)

  • I think this place has bed bugs.

    Tapeworm (2019)

  • I once heard that only 6% of bed bug cases need just one treatment.

    Blog text (3)

  • If you are pregnant, you might want to mention the bed bug problem to your doctor.

    Blog text (3)

  • Finally, if you find signs of bed bugs, you must get treatment.

    Blog text (3)

  • I have been dealing with the bed bug situation for 11 months now.

    Blog text (3)

  • Since you have found them in your bed, I would assume you have bed bugs in your home.

    Blog text (3)

  • Should I buy some bed bug killer treatments and put them around my apartment?

    Blog text (3)

  • The inhabitants should be fully educated about bed bugs and how to look for them.

    Blog text (3)

Synonyms

chinch
vsbed bug
  • US
9.9

A small insect that lives in beds and bites people at night

is the standard general name rather than the informal regional term
Cimex lectularius
vsbed bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect that lives in beds and bites people at night

is the broader common name covering many related types not only that species

Surface Forms

bed bug singular
bed bugs plural

Morphology

bed + bug

The meaning 'a small insect associated with beds' is directly and compositionally derived from 'bed' (sleeping furniture) + 'bug' (small insect), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the referent. This noun+noun compound pattern is common across languages (e.g., 'punaise de lit', 'chinche de cama'), making the expression readily transparent.

Etymology

The compound noun bed bug is a simple, literal name: people noticed a small bug living in their bed that would bite them at night, so the phrase came to mean 'a small insect that lives in beds and bites people'.