noun
cootie
Cootie (noun) means a louse (Pediculus humanus).
noun
1
A louse (Pediculus humanus).
2
Any germ or contaminant, whether real or imagined, especially one believed to come from the opposite sex, as thought by children before puberty.
"I’m not drinking from his glass until I wash the cooties off it."
3
A female American coot that builds a nest.
4
(informal) A type of telegraph key known as a sideswiper.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like cootie.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
Probably from Malay kutu (“flea, louse”) (and/or Tagalog/Māori). First attested in English in 1917 as British army slang during World War I.
Rhymes for cootie
See all rhymes for cootie →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of cootie?
"cootie" (noun) means a louse (Pediculus humanus).
What are the different meanings of cootie?
"cootie" has 3 main meanings: 1. A louse (Pediculus humanus); 2. Any germ or contaminant, whether real or imagined, especially one believed to come from the opposite sex, as thought by children before puberty; 3. A female American coot that builds a nest.
