woodlouse

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a small terrestrial isopod crustacean with a rigid segmented body, usually found in damp, dark places

   A woodlouse crawled from beneath the rotting bark.

A compound of wood and louse, named for the animal's small size and its common presence under damp wood. Despite the name, a woodlouse is a terrestrial crustacean, not an insect or a true louse.

Topics