Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

cooty

noun

ˈkuːti

Definition

A term, often considered slang, referring to a type of lice or a disease that is attributed to dirtiness or poor hygiene, especially among children.

Examples

When the kids were playing outside, they joked about getting cooties from the muddy ground.
She said that touching too many surfaces could give you cooties, so she washed her hands frequently.

Meaning

Cooty is commonly used in children’s language to describe something that is dirty or infected. It’s often associated with the idea of fear of germs or getting sick from something that is perceived as unclean.