nit1

[nit] /nɪt/
noun
1.
the egg of a parasitic insect, especially of a louse, often attached to a hair or a fiber of clothing.
2.
the young of such an insect.
Origin
before 900; Middle English nite, Old English hnitu, cognate with Dutch neet, German Niss, Norwegian nit

nit2

[nit] /nɪt/
noun, Physics.
1.
a unit of luminous intensity equal to one candela per square meter.
Abbreviation: nt.
Origin
1950-55; extracted from Latin nitor brightness; see nitid, -or1

nit3

[nit] /nɪt/
noun, Chiefly British
1.
a nitwit.
Origin
by shortening
British Dictionary definitions for nit

nit1

/nɪt/
noun
1.
the egg of a louse, especially when adhering to human hair
2.
the larva of a louse or similar insect
Word Origin
Old English hnitu; related to Dutch neet, Old High German hniz

nit2

/nɪt/
noun
1.
a unit of luminance equal to 1 candela per square metre
Word Origin
C20: from Latin nitor brightness

nit3

/nɪt/
noun
1.
(informal, mainly Brit) short for nitwit

nit4

/nɪt/
noun
1.
a unit of information equal to 1.44 bits Also called nepit
Word Origin
C20: from N(apierian dig)it

nit5

/nɪt/
noun
1.
(Austral, informal) keep nit, to keep watch, esp during illegal activity
Word Origin
C19: from nix1
Word Origin and History for nit
n.

Old English hnitu "louse egg, nit," from Proto-Germanic *khnito (cf. Norwegian nit, Middle Dutch nete, Dutch neet, Middle High German niz, German Niß), from PIE root *knid- "egg of a louse" (cf. Russian, Polish gnida, Czech knida; Greek konidos, genitive konis "egg of a louse").

nit in Medicine

nit (nĭt)
n.
The egg or young of a parasitic insect, such as a louse.

Slang definitions & phrases for nit

nit

noun

Nothing; zilch: If you're wondering about their homosexual records, it's nit

[fr Yiddish or perhaps German dialect]


Related Abbreviations for nit

NIT

  1. National Intelligence Test
  2. National Invitational Tournament