cootie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-to-mediumInformal, childish, jocular
Quick answer
What does “cootie” mean?
A term used by children to refer to an imaginary germ or louse, often used in teasing to denote contamination or undesirable transfer.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A term used by children to refer to an imaginary germ or louse, often used in teasing to denote contamination or undesirable transfer.
Informally, any real or imagined pest, germ, or source of mild contagion. Also used metaphorically to describe a social stigma or undesirable association.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'cootie' is overwhelmingly American. British English has the near-equivalent 'lurgy' (for an imaginary illness) and historically 'crabs' or 'nits' for lice, but lacks a direct, widely-used single-word synonym for the playful, imaginary pest.
Connotations
In AmE: Strongly associated with childhood, playgrounds, and teasing. In BrE: Largely recognized through American media; if used, it sounds distinctly American and may not be immediately understood by all.
Frequency
Common in American childhood vernacular; rare in British English except as a cultural import.
Grammar
How to Use “cootie” in a Sentence
[Subject] has/got/caught cooties.[Subject] gave [Indirect Object] cooties.Don't touch [Noun Phrase]; you'll get cooties.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cootie” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not typically used as a verb in BrE)
American English
- He cootied my sandwich just by looking at it!
- I don't want to cootie up the new couch.
adjective
British English
- (Not typically used as an adjective in BrE)
American English
- That's a cootie-infested doorknob.
- Keep your cootie hands to yourself!
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used, except perhaps in sociological studies of child language.
Everyday
Used humorously among adults recalling childhood or when joking about contamination (e.g., 'Don't use my keyboard, you have cooties!').
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cootie”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cootie”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cootie”
- Using it in a formal context.
- Assuming it refers to a specific real insect.
- Using it with serious medical connotations.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an imaginary pest or germ in children's folklore, though the word may have originated from terms for real lice.
Yes, but only in a humorous, informal, or ironic way to evoke a childish sense of mock contamination.
It is a folded paper fortune-telling game played by children, also known as a 'fortune teller'. The name plays on the idea of 'catching' imaginary cooties or secrets.
Not a perfect one. 'The lurgy' refers to an imaginary illness, and 'nits' refers to real head lice eggs, but neither carries the exact same playful, teasing connotations of social avoidance as 'cooties'.
A term used by children to refer to an imaginary germ or louse, often used in teasing to denote contamination or undesirable transfer.
Cootie is usually informal, childish, jocular in register.
Cootie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkuːti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʊti/ (sometimes /ˈkuːti/). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cootie catcher (a folded paper fortune-teller)”
- “You've got cooties! (a childhood taunt)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a child saying 'Cooties are icky!' – the 'oo' sound in both 'cootie' and 'icky' links the word to something unpleasant.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL REJECTION / UNDESIRABILITY IS A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'cootie' MOST appropriately used?