mite

mite 1   (mīt)    n.  Any of various small or minute arachnids of the order Acarina that are often parasitic on animals and plants, infest stored food products, and in some species transmit disease. [Middle English, from Old English mīte.]

mite  (1)

Main Entry: mite
Pronunciation: 'mIt
Function: noun
: any of numerous small to very minute arachnids of the order Acarina that have a body without aconstriction between the cephalothorax and abdomen, mandibles generally chelate or adapted for piercing, usually four pairs of short legs in the adult and but three in the young larvae, and oftenbreathing organs in the form of tracheae and that include parasites of insects and vertebrates some of which are important disease vectors, parasites of plants in which they frequently cause gallformation, pests of various stored products, and completely innocuous free-living aquatic and terrestrial forms —see ITCHMITE

mite ¹ (mīt)
n.
Any of numerous small or minute arachnids of the order Acarina, certain species of which are parasitic on animals and plants, infest stored food products, and in some cases transmit disease.

Mite

contraction of minute, from the Latin minutum, the translation of the Greek word lepton, the very smallest bronze of copper coin (Luke 12:59; 21:2). Two mites made one quadrans, i.e., the fourth part of a Roman as, which was in value nearly a halfpenny. (See FARTHING.)