nitty

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Infested with nits: "nitty" describes something that is full of nits, which are the eggs of lice or other parasitic insects.
   • Figuratively (rare): In informal or dialectal use, "nitty" can mean small, trivial, or fussy details, though this is less common and often confused with "nitty-gritty."

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The child's hair was so nitty that the school nurse had to call the parents. (The hair was infested with louse eggs.)
  • The old blanket was discarded because it had become nitty. (The blanket was full of nits.)

Advanced Usage

• "Nitty" as a noun (rare): In some dialects, "nitty" can be a noun meaning a nit or a small, insignificant person or thing.
  • He's just a nitty in the grand scheme of things. (He is an insignificant person.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nit (n): the egg of a louse or other parasitic insect.

  • She found a nit in her hair. (A single louse egg.)

• Nitty-gritty (n): the most important or basic aspects of a situation (compound word, not directly related to "nitty" in the sense of infestation).

  • Let's get down to the nitty-gritty of the contract. (Let's discuss the essential details.)

Synonyms

• Infested: overrun with parasites.
• Lousy: literally infested with lice; also used figuratively to mean poor quality.

Related Idioms