What were lice called in medieval Europe? - briefly
In medieval Latin texts the insect was named «pediculus», while Middle‑English sources use the term «lous». French writings of the period refer to it as «pou».
What were lice called in medieval Europe? - in detail
In medieval European sources lice were identified by several native and scholarly terms. Latin medical literature consistently employed the word «pediculus», often qualified as «pediculus humanus» for the human parasite and «pediculus animalis» for animal varieties. The term derived from the diminutive of pes “foot”, reflecting the insect’s six‑footed locomotion.
Old English texts recorded the noun «līc» (plural «lice») to denote the same creature. The form appears in legal codes and homiletic writings, where it is sometimes accompanied by the descriptive phrase «head‑lice» rendered as «heafod‑līc». A variant «pytel» is found in early glosses, indicating influence from the Latin.
In Old French the common designation was «pou», a word that survived into modern French. Medieval French medical manuals distinguished «pou du cheveu» (head lice) from «pou du corps» (body lice). The diminutive «pouette» was used for smaller infestations, while the scholarly Latin term «pediculus» persisted in learned treatises.
Middle High German sources used the term «Läuse» for lice in general, with specific compounds such as «Kopfläuse» (head lice) and «Bettläuse» (body lice). The word appears in court records, hygiene regulations, and the writings of physicians like Hildegard von Bingen.
Medical compilations of the period, for example the “Regimen Sanitatis” and Hildegard’s “Physica”, alternated between Latin and vernacular terminology, often providing synonyms in marginal notes. These texts described lice as carriers of disease, recommended combing with fine‑toothed combs, and prescribed herbal concoctions such as rosemary and mugwort for eradication.
Key terms across languages:
- Latin: «pediculus», «pediculus humanus», «pediculus animalis»
- Old English: «līc», «heafod‑līc», «pytel»
- Old French: «pou», «pou du cheveu», «pou du corps», «pouette»
- Middle High German: «Läuse», «Kopfläuse», «Bettläuse»
The coexistence of scholarly Latin labels and vernacular names reflects the transmission of medical knowledge through monastic schools and the practical communication of pest control among the general populace.