Cootie
/ˈkuːti/noun
A child's word for a louse or other tiny insect, or a supposed contagious nuisance.
Did you know?The word became especially famous in World War I and children’s playgrounds, where “cooties” spread like an invisible curse of contamination—showing how words can create fear even when the bug is imaginary.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
English
cootie
“A louse or other small pest; later, a child's imagined contagious nuisance.”
Late 19th Century
English (slang)
cooty / cootie
“A term for a louse or an irritating little insect, especially in soldiers' slang and children's speech.”
Unknown origin
English
cootie
“Probably a slang formation of uncertain origin, possibly influenced by earlier dialect or nursery-language forms.”
Modern English
English
cooties
“A fictionalized contagious condition or infestation used in play and teasing.”