nit
nit / nit/ • n. the egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect, esp. the egg of a head louse attached to a human hair.PHRASES: pick nits look for and criticize small or insignificant faults or errors; nitpick.DERIVATIVES: nit·ty adj.
nit
nit Name given to the eggs of lice (order Phthiraptera), particularly to those of the human body and head lice, Pediculus humanus and P. capitis. Eggs are cemented to the hair or feathers of the host and are very difficult to dislodge. Before hatching they are brownish-yellow, but afterwards air enters and they become silvery-white; it is in the latter form that eggs of P. capitis are generally recognized. The hatched eggs of some bird lice are used by mites, which enter them to shed their skins.
nit
nit egg of a louse, etc. OE. hnitu = MLG., MDu. nēte (Du. neet), OHG. (h)niz (G. nisse) :- WGmc. *xnitō.
nit
nit (nit) n. the egg of a louse. The eggs of head lice are firmly cemented to the hair; those of body lice are fixed to the clothing.
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