# head louse

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A parasitic insect, Pediculus humanus capitis, which lives among the hairs on the head of a human and feeds on blood.

## Etymology
From head + louse. Compare North Frisian hoodlüs (“headlouse”), Dutch hoofdluis (“headlouse”), Swedish huvudlus (“headlouse”), Icelandic höfuðlús (“headlouse”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/head-louse