noun
Uncommon
Lyme
Lyme (noun) means Short for Lyme disease, a tick-borne bacterial infection that can cause fever, rash, and joint pain. Example: “After finding a tick bite and a bullseye rash, she went straight to the doctor to test for Lyme.”
noun
1
Short for Lyme disease, a tick-borne bacterial infection that can cause fever, rash, and joint pain.
"After finding a tick bite and a bullseye rash, she went straight to the doctor to test for Lyme."
name
1
Any of several towns in England and the United States, all ultimately named after Lyme Regis in Dorset, England.
"Old Lyme, Connecticut, is a quiet New England town known for its art colony."
How to use Lyme
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly short for "Lyme disease," an illness spread by tick bites.
Common pairings
Lyme disease
test for Lyme
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- lymes
- Past tense
- lymed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
After finding a tick bite and a bullseye rash, she went straight to the doctor to test for _____.
Etymology
The disease is named after Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first identified in the 1970s; the town names themselves trace back to Lyme Regis in Dorset, England.
Rhymes for Lyme
See all rhymes for Lyme →Frequently asked questions
What does “Lyme” mean?
The word “Lyme” means short for Lyme disease, a tick-borne bacterial infection that can cause fever, rash, and joint pain. In plain terms, most commonly short for "Lyme disease," an illness spread by tick bites.
How do you use “Lyme” in a sentence?
Here is “Lyme” used in a sentence: “After finding a tick bite and a bullseye rash, she went straight to the doctor to test for Lyme.”
What part of speech is “Lyme”?
Depending on how it is used, “Lyme” can be a noun and a name.
Where does the word “Lyme” come from?
The word “Lyme” dates back to around 1970. The disease is named after Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first identified in the 1970s; the town names themselves trace back to Lyme Regis in Dorset, England.
Is “Lyme” a common word?
“Lyme” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Lyme” have?
“Lyme” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: short for Lyme disease, a tick-borne bacterial infection that can cause fever, rash, and joint pain.
