nit

views updated Jun 11 2018

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.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

nit

views updated May 14 2018

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.

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

nit

views updated Jun 27 2018

nit egg of a louse, etc. OE. hnitu = MLG., MDu. nēte (Du. neet), OHG. (h)niz (G. nisse) :- WGmc. *xnitō.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

nit

views updated Jun 27 2018

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.

A Dictionary of Nursing

NIT

views updated Jun 11 2018

NIT negative income tax

The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH