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Glite Dictionary
sheep ked

sheep ked

9.9
A small wingless fly that lives on sheep and drinks their blood
  • noun
  • /ʃip kɛd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ked de oveja
  • The farmer treated his flock to eliminate the infestation of sheep keds.

Examples

  • A severe sheep ked problem can lead to irritation and wool damage in sheep.

  • Veterinarians often check for sheep ked during regular animal health inspections.

  • The sheep ked is a common parasite in flocks.

  • Farmers must control sheep keds to protect their livestock.

  • A severe sheep ked infestation can cause significant discomfort and wool loss in sheep.

  • Farmers must regularly inspect their lambs for signs of sheep ked to ensure their health.

  • The presence of sheep keds can lead to increased veterinary costs for livestock owners.

Synonyms

ked
vssheep ked
  • UK
1 9.9

A small fly without wings that lives on sheep and other animals and drinks their blood

refers to that specific species rather than the broader group
Melophagus ovinus
vssheep ked
  • Specialized
9.9

A wingless fly that lives on sheep and sometimes cattle and feeds on their blood

is the common name rather than the scientific label
sheep-tick
vssheep ked
9.3

A small wingless fly that lives on sheep and cattle and sucks blood

is the precise species name rather than a general term
Melophagus
vssheep ked
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wingless fly that lives on and feeds on sheep

means the single species rather than the whole genus

Surface Forms

sheep ked singular
sheep keds plural

Morphology

sheep + ked

The compound 'sheep ked' is compositionally transparent: it denotes the ked (a blood‑feeding fly) associated with sheep, so a learner who knows 'sheep' and 'ked' can infer it refers to the parasite found on sheep. This animal+parasite compounding pattern is regular in English and cross‑linguistically common, making the meaning predictable for a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Sheep ked may come from an old word 'ked' for a small louse or biting insect. Because the insect lives in a sheep's wool and drinks its blood, the name literally puts ked with sheep, so today sheep ked means a small fly that lives on sheep.