Kutu is a New Zealand English term (from Maori) for a body louse — the parasitic insect Pediculus humanus that infests human clothing and skin. The Maori word has been adopted into New Zealand English as a natural part of the language's integration of Maori vocabulary. In New Zealand contexts, particularly in Maori communities and among those familiar with Maori, 'kutu' is the natural term for head or body lice, used without awkwardness in everyday and health contexts.
The school sent home a note warning parents to check for kutu after a case was found in the class.
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(NZ) A body louse.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.