# Does the term "Nit Picking" come from the picking of Lice eggs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 8, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386 "2007-02-08T18:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/1 "2007-02-08T18:43:11Z")
I was listening to NPR yesterday and they were talking about the false hyp over when your kids get lice…that it is not very contagious…anyway that would be for a different thread. They mentioned the lice eggs are called nits. I wondered if that is where the term “nit picking” comes from…the picking of nits…Lice eggs? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/2 "2007-02-08T18:47:55Z")
Yep. Random House’s Word Maven on [nitpick](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20001002). ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/3 "2007-02-08T20:02:39Z")
“crummy” also has the same origin, as nits resemble bread crumbs. “Jiggers, this place is lousy with cops,” warned the lay-chickie. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/4 "2007-02-08T20:36:19Z")
Inthe days when wigs were the fashion, there was a corps of people who picked nits out of wigs. I imagine that rich folks had their own nitpickers. Regular folks probably had to either pick their own nits or pay for the service. My cite is the less than academically rigorous “The Worst Jobs In History” the companion book to the British TV show starring Tony Robinson of Black Adder fame. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/5 "2007-02-08T20:38:47Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] I wondered if that is where the term “nit picking” comes from…the picking of nits..Lice eggs? [/QUOTE] Nitpicking is one word. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/6 "2007-02-08T20:41:23Z")
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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/7 "2007-02-08T20:50:26Z")
\<\\> Snort! ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/8 "2007-02-08T20:56:56Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Nitpicking is one word. [/QUOTE] Why you lousy… ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/9 "2007-02-08T21:04:12Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Nitpicking is one word. [/QUOTE] Lousy nitpicker. Speaking of surprising word origins, last year there was a minor controversy at the New York Times because the crossword puzzle had the word “scumbag” in it. Turns out that the Times has a policy against printing that word, but Will Shortz featured it in a puzzle! ---
**Author:** ![Barrington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Barrington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrington)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-term-nit-picking-come-from-the-picking-of-lice-eggs/391386/10 "2007-02-09T16:45:19Z")
I read somewhere that a British crossword compiler - probably from either _The Times_ or _The Telegraph_ - sneaked the following clue into his last puzzle before he retired: _Wrinkled retainer (7)_ SCROTUM