chigoe

[chig-oh] /ˈtʃɪg oʊ/

noun

a flea, Tunga penetrans, of tropical America and Africa, the impregnated female of which embeds itself in the skin, especially of the feet, of humans and animals and becomes greatly distended with eggs.

Also called chigoe flea, chigger, jigger, sand flea.

Origin

1685-95; < Carib

British Dictionary definitions for chigoe

chigoe

/ˈtʃɪɡəʊ/

noun

Also called chigger, jigger, sand flea. a tropical flea, Tunga penetrans, the female of which lives on or burrows into the skin of its host, which includes man

another name for chigger (sense 1)

Word Origin

C17: from Carib chigo

chigoe in Medicine

chigoe chig·oe (chĭg'ō)
n.
A small tropical flea (Tunga penetrans) the fertilized female of which burrows under the skin, frequently under the toenails, causing intense irritation and sores that may become severely infected. Also called , jigger², sand flea.