1. a body louse
Usage: informal
2. an imaginary germ or contagion that children playfully pretend to catch from someone they dislike
Usage: children’s slang

Examples

• The soldiers complained about cooties in the trenches.
• She checked her hair carefully for cooties after camping.
• The kids played a game where they pretended to catch cooties from each other.
• He wiped his hands dramatically, claiming she had given him cooties.
• The children squealed and ran away, shouting about cooties.
• After the hug, she jokingly said she needed a cootie shot.