woodlouse

In addition, both the woodlouse and the crayfish possess an unpaired medial nerve which runs along the whole length of the ventral nerve cord, linking adjacent ganglia.

1995, Olaf Breidbach, Wolfram Kutsch, editors, The Nervous Systems of Invertebrates: An Evolutionary and Comparative Approach, page 193:

Woodlice commonly produce offspring 1-3 times per year, with spring and autumn broods most common. Woodlice often survive for longer than a year, with longevity of 2-5 years not uncommon.

2001, John L. Capinera, editor, Handbook of Vegetable Pests, page 566:

The sections allow woodlice to bend and curve their armored bodies. Some types of woodlice can roll into a tight ball. They do this to protect themselves when threatened by a predator.
Female woodlice carry their eggs in a liquid-filled pouch under their bodies. When the young woodlice hatch from the eggs, they crawl out of the pouch.

2011, Ruth Owen, Creepy Backyard Invaders, page 18:

Any of the terrestrial isopod crustaceans of suborder Oniscidea, which have a rigid, segmented exoskeleton, often being capable of rolling into a ball, and feed only on dead plant matter, usually living in damp, dark places, such as under stones or bark.

armadillo bug

(any species of suborder Oniscidea): oniscidean; local terms


slater

From Middle English sclater, equivalent to slate + -er.

(Scotland, Australia) Any terrestrial isopod crustacean of the genus Porcellio and allied genera; a woodlouse.


carpenter

From Middle English carpenter, from Anglo-Norman carpenter (compare Old French charpentier), from Late Latin carpentārius (“a carpenter”), from Latin carpentārius (“a wagon-maker, carriage-maker”), from Latin carpentum (“a two-wheeled carriage, coach, or chariot, a cart”), from Gaulish carbantos, from Proto-Celtic *karbantos (“chariot, war chariot”), probably related to Proto-Celtic *karros (“wagon”). Doublet of carpintero. More at car.
Displaced native Old English trēowwyrhta (literally “tree worker”).

ncog

A person skilled at carpentry, the trade of cutting and joining timber in order to construct buildings or other structures.


roly-poly

en-noun

roly-poly (countable and uncountable, plural roly-polys or roly-polies)

roly-polys (plural)
roly-polies (plural)

/ˌɹəʊlɪˈpəʊli/

The noun is apparently derived from roll (“to turn over and over”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’), reduplicated with a change of the initial consonant. Compare rolly (“having the ability to roll, rolling”, adjective), which is attested since the 19th century.
Sense 1.7 (“mischievous or worthless person”) is possibly influenced by poll (“head; (archaic) scalp; (by extension) person”).
The adjective and adverb are attested later than the noun, and so are probably derived from it.

rolly-pooly

game in which balls are rolled or bowled into holes

BOBO The Roly Poly Clown / Punch him—beat him—tackle him—Bobo will bounce right back with a smile!

1950 November 27, “American-made Toys … for American Girls and Boys [advertisement]”, in Henry R[obinson] Luce, editor, Life, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 79:

Among the many adaptations of the Japanese tumbler toy are those known to American children as a roly-poly and a Kelly.

1972, Arden J. Newsome, “Japanese”, in Crafts and Toys from around the World, New York, N.Y.: Julian Messner, →ISBN, page 67:

Though most often made of plastic, roly-poly tumble toys were commonly found in mid-century toy boxes.

2012, Jill Hamor, “Toys [Roly-poly Duck]”, in Lynn Koolish, editor, Storybook Toys: Sew 16 Projects from Once upon a Time, Lafayette, Calif.: Stash Books, C&T Publishing, →ISBN, page 108:

A toy that rights itself when pushed over.

起き上がり小法師

おきあがりこぼし, okiagari-koboshi; おきあがりこぼうし, okiagari-kobōshi

When you are finished with circle time, dismiss your children by helping each one do a roly-poly roll (a somersault) and roll away to their next activity.

1994, Patty Claycomb, “Roly-poly”, in Gayle Bittinger, editor, Bear Hugs for Circle Time: Positive Activities that Encourage Children to Pay Attention, Everett, Wash.: Warren Publishing House, →ISBN, page 14:

Children of this age can rarely complete a forward roll or somersault properly. […] A ‘roly poly’ roll or a tucked sideways roll will give the children just as much pleasure and also enough exercise and knowlege of turning and rolling at this stage of their development.

1997, Pauline Wetton, “Nursery Class Activities for the Primary School Hall”, in Physical Education in the Early Years (Teaching and Learning in the First Three Years at School), London, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 57:

(gymnastics) A forward roll or sideways roll.

A roly-poly had found his way inside the house; I reasoned that the tiny varmint had crawled up the steps. […] The creatures are no more than an inch long, and when you touch them they roll themselves into a tight gray ball.

1960 July 11, Harper Lee, chapter 25, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa., New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC, part 2, page 251:

Terrestrial isopods, commonly known as pill bugs, sow bugs, or roly-polys, are generally familiar to most of us.

1995, Henry W. Robison, Robert T. Allen, “Subphylum Crustacea: Crustaceans”, in Only in Arkansas: A Study of the Endemic Plants and Animals of the State, Fayetteville, Ark.: University of Arkansas Press, →ISBN, page 45:

From the window, she sees them discover a colony of roly-polies (tiny gray bugs that roll into miniature balls in the presence of danger). She delights in the wonder and fun of the children as they play gently with the tiny bugs.

1997, Clark M. Williamson, Ronald J[ames] Allen, “Worship as the Power of God”, in Adventures of the Spirit: A Guide to Worship from the Perspective of Process Theology, Lanham, Md., Oxford, Oxfordshire: University Press of America, →ISBN, page 76:

[Romy Tinkle] What is that thing, Quincy?! / [Quincy Tinkle] Um … It's a giant Rolly Polly (Pill Bug). It's been living entirely on my body-building protein powder, apparently!!

2002 May 26, J[effrey] J. Rowland, Wigu Adventures (webcomic), archived from the original on 2009-12-13:

(Canada, US) In full roly-poly bug: a small terrestrial invertebrate which tends to roll into a ball when disturbed, such as a woodlouse (suborder Oniscidea, especially a pill bug (family Armadillidiidae) or a sowbug (family Porcellionidae)) or a pill millipede (superorder Oniscomorpha).

pallosiira

Often I did view the shade / Where once a nest my eyes did fill, / And often mark'd the place I play'd / At "roly poly" down the hill.

1821, John Clare, “[Poems.] Recollections after a Ramble.”, in The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, volume I, London: […] [T. Miller] for Taylor and Hessey, […]; and E[dward] Drury, […], →OCLC, stanza 8, page 128:

(uncountable, historical) An activity or game involving rolling.

(games) A game involving people (usually children) rolling down a slope.


roly-poly

en-adj

roly-poly (comparative more roly-poly, superlative most roly-poly)

more roly-poly (comparative)
most roly-poly (superlative)

/ˌɹəʊlɪˈpəʊli/

She had been waiting for the little roly-poly man to tumble and roll along the deck, and had been mentally indulging her sense of humour on the scene.

1867, Grace Ramsay [pseudonym; Kathleen O’Meara], chapter IX, in A Woman’s Trials. […], volume II, London: Hurst and Blackett, […], →OCLC, page 157:

He ducked back down the alley / With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl

1986 August, Paul Simon (lyrics and music), “You Can Call Me Al”, in Graceland, performed by Paul Simon:

(often childish or humorous, informal) Short and plump; squat.


gribble

Uncertain. Compare grub, from Proto-Germanic *grub- (“to dig”).

Any of various wood-boring marine crustaceans of the genus Limnoria, especially Limnoria lignorum, which cause damage to underwater wooden structures.


doodlebug

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-doodlebug.wav

Soon after Richard was adopted, Orwell's flat was wrecked by a doodlebug.

2009, Robert McCrum, The masterpiece that killed George Orwell:

(informal, British) The V-1 flying bomb.

(historical, "doodlebug tractor") An automobile converted into a cheap tractor for a small farm during the Second World War.

(entomology) An antlion larva (Myrmeleontidae).

(entomology, UK) A cockchafer (genus Melolontha).

(obsolete) Individual self-propelled train cars.


Isopoda

iso- + -poda, New Latin, from Ancient Greek ἴσος (ísos, “equal”) and πούς (poús, “foot”)

A taxonomic order within the superorder Peracarida – isopods.


isopod

Any of very many crustaceans, of the order Isopoda, that have a flattened body and no carapace.


pill bug

(US) Any of very many terrestrial crustaceans, of the family Armadillidiidae, a subgroup of the woodlice, that can roll themselves up into a protective ball.


potato bug

The Jerusalem cricket, various insects of the genus Stenopelmatus.


cloporte

Likely from clore (“to close”) + porte (“door”), from its habit of rolling into a ball. Another possible derivation is from an unattested *croteporque, mirrored in Occitan porquet de crota (“woodlouse”, literally “cave-pig”). In any case, the analysis in the first proposal is probably responsible for the figurative extension of the word to "porter, concierge".


aegid

(zoology) Any of the isopods in the family Aegidae.


sowbug

From Middle English sowe (“sow, female pig; also woodlouse”) + bug.

com

Middle English <i class="Latn mention" lang="enm">sowe</i> (“sow, female pig; also woodlouse”)


cheslip

Unknown, perhaps alteration of an earlier term influenced by cheeselip.

Mouffet states that “the Asiatic Greeks called them χγαμος from their likenesse^([sic]) to a bean (Galen), for it looks like it when the Cheslip rolls itself up into a round body.”

1860, Ernest Adams, “On the names of the wood-louse”, in Transactions of the Philological Society, page 15:

In former times it was known as “Lugdor” and “Socchetre ;” and in common with the hoglouse it is familiar to rustics as “Churchlouse,” “Carpenter,” “Chinch,” or “Cheslip.”

1899, W.T. Fernie, Animal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure, “Woodlouse”, page 524:

w:Webster's Dictionary#Webster's New International Dictionary 1909


oniscid

(zoology) Any of the Oniscidae; a woodlouse.


eubelid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Eubelidae.


porcellionid

(zoology) Any woodlouse in the family Porcellionidae.


armadillidiid

(zoology) Any pill bug in the family Armadillidiidae.

armadilídeo

any member of the family Armadillidiidae


asellid

(zoology) Any member of the family Asellidae of crustaceans.


arcturid

(zoology) Any of the marine isopods in the family Arcturidae.


bathynomid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Bathynomidae, now considered a synonym for the Cirolanidae.


bopyrid

(zoology) Any isopod of the family Bopyridae.


chaetiliid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Chaetiliidae.


cirolanid

(zoology) Any member of the family Cirolanidae of isopod crustaceans.


cryptoniscid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Cryptoniscidae.


cymothoid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Cymothoidae.


dajid

(zoology) Any member of the family Dajidae of tiny ectoparasites of krill.


entoniscid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Entoniscidae.


gnathiid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Gnathiidae.


idoteid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Idoteidae.


limnoriid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Limnoriidae.


ligiid

[…] an asellote (Iathrippa longicauda) and a ligiid (Ligia italica) […]

1991, Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, volumes 31-32, page 164:

(zoology) Any member of the family Ligiidae of woodlice.


microcerberid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Microcerberidae.


philosciid

(zoology) Any woodlouse in the family Philosciidae.


phreatoicid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Phreatoicidae.


serolid

(zoology) Any member of the family Serolidae of certain isopod crustaceans.


sphaeromatid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Sphaeromatidae.


styloniscid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Styloniscidae.


trichoniscid

(zoology) Any isopod in the family Trichoniscidae.


tylid

(zoology) Any woodlouse in the family Tylidae.


munnopsoid

Any of the genus Munnopsis of deep-sea crustaceans.


trilobitoide

Ceratoserolis trilobitoides
Ceratoserolis trilobitoides

A serolid isopod of the genus Ceratoserolis, but especially Ceratoserolis trilobitoides


salve bug

(obsolete) A parasitic isopod crustacean (Aega psora). In the 19th century it was used by fishermen in the preparation of a salve, although its medicinal effects are dubious.


oniscidean

Nevertheless, these studies strongly suggest that arginine is not an essential amino acid in oniscideans.

1995, Patrick J. Walsh, Patricia A. Wright, Nitrogen Metabolism and Excretion, page 112:

The oniscidean digestive system has been extensively studied and well described in both slaters and sowbugs (Hames and Hopkin 1989; Štrus et al. 1995).[…]Frequent moulting is an important characteristic of juvenile and adult oniscideans and is related to growth, renewal of the cuticle and reproduction in mature females.

2006, Rok Kostanjšek, Jasna Štrus, Aleš Lapanje, Gorazd Avguštin, Maja Rupnik, Damjana Drobne, “5: Intestinal Microbiota of Terrestrial Isopods”, in Helmut König, Ajit Varma, editors, Intestinal Microorganisms of Termites and Other Invertebrates, page 116:

Some oniscideans, which are ordinarily terrestrial, have re-invaded the continental saline waters (e.g. Haloniscus searlei) or even normal freshwater (e.g. Trichoniscidae and Styloniscidae).

2008, George D. F. Wilson, Global diversity of Isopod crustaceans (Crustacea; Isopoda) in freshwater:

(zoology) Any of the terrestrial isopod crustaceans of suborder Oniscidea; a woodlouse.

synonyms at woodlouse

(any species of suborder Oniscidea): woodlouse


assellote

All these habitats are species poor: aside from amphipod fauna, assellote isopods, trichopteran, plecopteran and ephemeropteran larvae, erpobdelid leeches and salamander larvae were also found, but no fishes were observed.

2015 July 31, “Morphologically Cryptic Amphipod Species Are “Ecological Clones” at Regional but Not at Local Scale: A Case Study of Four Niphargus Species”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI:


lockchester

Uncertain. Probably derived in English from lock + chest + -er. Compare lugdor. Attested a. 1400.

Of these, the last only will be found in a dictionary of modern English, but I have already remarked that the name of lockchester is preserved among the peasantry of Oxfordshire, and I may add, that the peasantry in the North of England still call a woodlouse a kitchen-ball, and that those of the Southern dialects call it a chissel-bol, which is perhaps the representative of cheslop.

1857, Thomas Wright, On the History of the English Language, page 22:

Mr. Halliwell, walking in a garden in Oxfordshire, accidentally overheard the gardener talking about lockchesters, and immediately asking him what these were, received for answer that they were woodlice.

1861, Thomas Wright, Essays on archaeological subjects, page 47:

But who will not be puzzled to hear that wood-lice are still, in some parts of Oxfordshire, called Lockchesters, and that there is evidence to show that this strange name was once, not only in provincial, but in general use?

1863 April 11, The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art, page 471:

(obsolete, Oxfordshire) Synonym of woodlouse


dairy cow

The Holstein Friesian is an excellent dairy cow. [breed]

He runs a herd of dairy cows, including his own bulls. [cattle beast]

Mastitis impairs a dairy cow’s output. [lactating female]

Any breed of cow bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made; an individual cattle beast of such a breed; especially, a female cow who has calved and lactated.


oniscoid

(zoology) A member of the Oniscoidea; a woodlouse.


isopodan

(zoology) Of or relating to the isopods.


cheeselog

Uncertain. Perhaps alteration of an earlier term through folk etymology influenced by cheese and log. Compare cheslip, lockchester.

The only local word anybody mentioned was 'cheeselog' (meaning 'woodlouse' - Ed). I think it comes from an American cake that's long and thin, and has segments.

2005 January 26, Paul Kerswill, “The Sound of Reddin”, in BBC:

2006 May 30, jellyjelly, “Getting rid of cheeselogs/woodlouse?”, in Mumsnet:


butcher boy

He had clearly become a satyr once again, as evidenced by the rosy-faced butcher-boy that Moore met upon visiting him. The word butcher-boy was, like telegraph-boy, a euphemism for a male prostitute

1997, Ellis Hanson, “The Dialectic of Shame and Grace”, in Decadence and Catholicism, →OCLC, page 81:

(uncommon, slang, euphemistic) A male prostitute.


lugdor

Apparently derived from lock and door (compare lockchester) or perhaps dor (“dung beetle”). Attested from the 15th century.

Comparing the terms lok-dore and loc-chester, it is evident that the first portion of the word is an independent element, lok; and this is still further confirmed by another synonyme^([sic]) for the wood-louse recorded by Halliwell with no indication of time or locality, viz. lug-dor.

1860, Ernest Adams, “On the names of the wood-louse”, in Transactions of the Philological Society, page 9:

(British, regional, archaic) the woodlouse


bopyroid

Any isopod of the superfamily Bopyroidea


epicaridean

Any isopod of the former suborder Epicaridea (now named Cymothoida)


gråsugga

gråsugga (indefinite nominative singular)
gråsuggan (definite nominative singular)
gråsuggor (indefinite nominative plural)
gråsuggorna (definite nominative plural)
gråsuggas (genitive indefinite singular)
gråsuggans (definite genitive singular)
gråsuggors (genitive indefinite plural)
gråsuggornas (definite genitive plural)

From grå (“gray”) + sugga (“sow”). Compare English sowbug.

Gråsuggan blev rädd och rullade ihop sig till en boll

The pill bug got scared and rolled up [rolled together itself] into a ball


anthuroid

Any isopod of the superfamily Anthuroidea


cryptoniscoid

Any isopod of the superfamily Cryptoniscoidea


cymothooid

Any isopod of the superfamily Cymothooidea


janiroidean

Any isopod of the superfamily Janiroidea


armadillo bug

At Tulpehocken Street, playing in the woodpile by the stable, the creature, which I called an armadillo bug, somehow got into my ear.

1946, Cornelius Weygandt, On the Edge of Evening, →OCLC, page 21:

Dad held his breath while Pam rolled over like an armadillo bug. Mom stood up from her chair and wandered to the edge of the porch watching, but Pam wasn't hurt. She hadn't even let go of the ball!

2003, Helen Kay Polaski, Forget me Knots... from the Front Porch, →ISBN, page 70:

A woodlouse, any of various terrestrial isopods of suborder Oniscidea.


sea woodlouse

Synonym of sea slater (“littoral woodlouse”)


porquet de Sant Antoni

ca-noun

porquet de Sant Antoni m (plural porquets de Sant Antoni)


arriet

rock louse (an isopod of the genus Ligia)


armadille

L’Armadille est très-répandu dans toutes les régions circa-méditerranéennes; il se trouve sous les pierres.

1892 February 3, Adrian Dollfus, “Catalogue Raisonné des Isopodes Terrestre de l'Espagne”, in Anales de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, volume 20, page 164:

The pill bug is very widespread in all circa-Mediterranean regions. It is found under stones.


corra-chòsag

head

corra-chòsag f (genitive singular corra-chòsaig, plural corra-chòsagan)

corra-chòsaig (genitive singular)
corra-chòsagan (plural)

/kʰɔɾəˈxɔːs̪ak/


cailleach-Eòsag

cailleach-Eòsag f (genitive singular cailliche-Eòsag, plural cailleachan-Eòsag)

cailliche-Eòsag (genitive singular)
cailleachan-Eòsag (plural)


cailleach-chòsag

cailleach-chòsag f (genitive singular cailliche-chòsag, plural cailleachan-chòsag)

cailliche-chòsag (genitive singular)
cailleachan-chòsag (plural)


hog-beetle

(dated, obsolete) A weevil of the family Curculionidae.


giant isopod

Compound of giant + isopod, possibly influenced by the name of the type species translingual Bathynomus giganteus (literally “giant Bathynomus”).

der

Any of several very large marine isopods of the genus Bathynomus, known for being the largest of all known isopods.


Scutocoxifera

Latin scūtum n (“shield”) + Latin coxa f (“hip”) + -fera (“bearing”), literally “bearing shielded hips”

affix

A taxonomic clade within the order Isopoda.