Midgie

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈmɪd͡ʒi/

Definitions

1. A tiny, often blood-sucking insect belonging to a group similar to mosquitoes that is known for its nuisance value in warm areas
2. A small, irritating fly related to mosquitoes that tends to swarm in humid conditions, causing discomfort
3. A diminutive flying insect akin to a mosquito that is notorious for its irritating bites and prevalent in moist environments

Etymology: Scottish "midgie" is a diminutive of "midge," the tiny biting fly, and the ending "-ie" is the same little-thing suffix found in words like "doggie." The stem itself is older than the suffix. "Midge" comes from Old English "mycg," so the insect name has been in the language for centuries, and "midgie" simply shrinks it further, usually for the swarms that rise off Highland lochs and marshes in summer. The source offers two possible routes for the ending itself. One is a plain diminutive built on "midge." The other proposes that "midgie" is a corruption of "midden," a dunghill, with the Scots "-y" ending, and that the insect name was then pulled toward the familiar "midge" through its association with swarms haunting such places. The first explanation is the simpler one and fits the word's form, so the dunghill link is best treated as a possible side influence rather than the main story.

Synonyms: gnat, mosquito, insect, fly, bug