[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/nit/)

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# nit

noun (a nit, nits)

«nit» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A nit is the egg or young of a head louse, a tiny insect that lives in human hair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#m1)
2. (informal, UK, Australia, NZ) A nit or nitwit is a silly, foolish person. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#m2)
3. To pick nits or nit-pick is to find small, unimportant faults. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#m3)

### In the lessons

At school, nits spread between children's heads; letters go home saying "nits found in class". Parents comb with a nit comb. In playground talk "you nit!" is a mild, friendly insult. Phrases: nit comb, nit-picking, have nits.

### Examples

- There are nits in our class, so check your hair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x1)
- Mum combed out my nits with a nit comb. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x2)
- Nits stick tightly to hairs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x3)
- Don't share hats, or you might spread nits. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x4)
- You nit! You've put your shoes on the wrong feet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x5)
- Stop nit-picking about my spelling. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x6)
- Having nits does not mean your hair is dirty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x7)
- The nurse checked 30 heads and found nits on 4. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/#x8)

### Note

Countable: nits. "Nitwit" is a mild, jokey insult. Myth: nits are not caused by dirty hair, and lice do not jump or fly; they crawl. Trap: "nit" is not the same as "nut".

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «nit» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nit/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«nit» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nit.html) on Mova free.