Definition

Noun: 1. A small, wingless, blood-sucking insect: A bedbug is a parasitic insect of the species Cimex lectularius. It is reddish-brown, oval, and flat, and it hides in cracks and crevices during the day, most notably in bedding. It emerges at night to feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals.

Usage

• The primary use of the word bedbug is to refer to the specific insect pest known for infesting human sleeping areas.
• It is commonly used in contexts related to pest control, public health, travel, and housing.
• Example: "The hotel had a bedbug infestation, so we had to find another place to stay."

Examples

• "After traveling, she always checks the mattress seams for signs of bedbugs."
• "A bedbug bite often results in small, itchy, red welts on the skin."
• "Getting rid of bedbugs usually requires professional extermination."

Advanced Usage

• "bedbug epidemic": Used to describe a widespread and significant increase in bedbug infestations in a city or region.
• "bedbug-sniffing dog": Refers to a dog specially trained to detect the scent of live bedbugs and their eggs, used in inspections.

Variants and Related Words

• Bed bug: An alternative, equally common spelling of the word, often written as two separate words.
• Cimex lectularius: The scientific Latin name for the common bedbug.

Synonyms

• Bug (in the specific context of infestation): While "bug" is a general term, in casual conversation about pests, "bug" can be used to mean bedbug. (e.g., "This apartment has bugs." often implies bedbugs or cockroaches).
• Pest: A general term for a destructive insect or animal. A bedbug is a type of pest.

Related Phrases

• "Don't let the bedbugs bite": A common, lighthearted saying often used when putting someone to bed, especially a child. It is a rhyming addition to the phrase "Good night, sleep tight."

Noun

1. bug of temperate regions that infests especially beds and feeds on human blood