Chinche
/ˈtʃɪntʃeɪ/noun
A bedbug or other blood-feeding true bug, especially one referred to by its Spanish name.
Did you know?Chinche ultimately descends from Latin cimex, the source of the scientific genus name Cimex for bedbugs, including Cimex lectularius.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
cimex
“A bedbug or other small blood-sucking insect.”
Late Latin
Latin
cimicem
“Accusative form of cimex, meaning “bedbug”; this form helped supply Romance descendants.”
Medieval Romance
Romance
*cimice
“A reconstructed popular Romance form meaning “bedbug.””
Old Spanish
Old Spanish
chinche
“A bedbug, with the initial consonant altered through historical sound change.”
Modern Spanish
Spanish
chinche
“Bedbug; also used for various true bugs, depending on region.”
Modern English
English
chinche
“An English borrowing from Spanish for a bedbug or related blood-feeding bug.”