noun
nit
NIT/nɪt/
The egg of a louse or similar parasite.
A tiny nit clings to a strand of hair.
Etymology
Old English hnitu already meant a louse egg. That specific meaning survives in the modern word for the tiny egg usually attached to a hair.
More examples
- She uses a fine-toothed comb to remove the nits.
- Unlike dandruff, nits do not brush off easily.
- A young louse hatches from the nit.
Forms
nit · nits
Similar words
- egg
- A broader term covering many animals, not just parasites.