chinch

/tʃintʃ/

Thân thiện

A small chinch crawls across a clean white bedsheet.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small insect that infests beds and feeds on blood: A chinch is a wingless bug, specifically of the species Cimex lectularius, that is a parasite on humans and other warm-blooded animals. It is typically active at night and hides in bedding, mattresses, and furniture during the day.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The old mattress was infested with chinch, causing itchy bites.
  • Travelers are advised to check hotel beds for signs of chinch.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Literary Usage: The term "chinch" is an older or regional name, particularly in American English, for what is now more commonly and globally known as a bedbug. It may appear in historical texts or regional dialects.
  • In the 19th-century journal, the pioneer complained about the chinch in the log cabin.

Variants and Related Words

• Bedbug (n): The modern common term for , synonymous with "chinch."
• Cimex lectularius (n): The scientific Latin name for the common bedbug.
• Infestation (n): A state of being overrun by pests such as chinch.

Synonyms

• Bedbug: The most direct and common synonym.
• Cimex: A technical term derived from the genus name.

Notes on Meaning

• The word chinch refers specifically to the blood-feeding insect. It is not used for other types of household pests like ants or cockroaches. Its use has declined in favor of "bedbug."

Học thuật

Noun

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

Từ đồng nghĩa

• bedbug
• bed bug
• Cimex lectularius