Definition of CHIGGER

chigger

Plural: chiggers

Noun

  • A parasitic mite whose larvae feed on skin.
  • small tropical flea; the fertile female burrows under the skin of the host including humans
  • larval mite that sucks the blood of vertebrates including human beings causing intense irritation
  • A chigoe (Tunga penetrans), a kind of flea found in tropical climates.
  • A harvest mite (Trombiculidae spp.), a very small, red mite endemic to the Midwestern and Southeastern US, the infestation of which causes intense itching.
  • An East Asian person who behaves in ways similar to a stereotypical urban African American.

Examples

  • The CHIGGER of a letter ’R’ made the difference for a bonus word.

Origin / Etymology

From chigoe, likely from a Cariban language term such as Kari'na siko (“chigoe”) (early recorded variant chico), from Proto-Cariban *tikô.

Synonyms

chigoe, chigoe flea, harvest mite, jigger, redbug, Tunga penetrans

Scrabble Score: 14

chigger: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
chigger: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
chigger: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

chigger: valid Words With Friends Word