LOUSINESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does lousiness mean? 

• LOUSINESS (noun)
  The noun LOUSINESS has 2 senses:

1. infestation with lice (Pediculus humanus) resulting in severe itching

2. the quality of being disgusting to the senses or emotions

  Familiarity information: LOUSINESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LOUSINESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Infestation with lice (Pediculus humanus) resulting in severe itching

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

lousiness; pediculosis

Hypernyms ("lousiness" is a kind of...):

infestation (the state of being invaded or overrun by parasites)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lousiness"):

head lice; pediculosis capitis (infestation of the scalp with lice)

pediculosis corporis (infestation of body skin with lice)

crabs; pediculosis pubis (infestation of the pubic hair by crab lice)

Derivation:

lousy (infested with lice)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of being disgusting to the senses or emotions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

loathsomeness; lousiness; repulsiveness; sliminess; vileness; wickedness

Context example:

the vileness of his language surprised us

Hypernyms ("lousiness" is a kind of...):

distastefulness; odiousness; offensiveness (the quality of being offensive)

Derivation:

lousy (very bad)

lousy (vile; despicable)