noun
minute two-winged insect that sucks the blood of mammals and birds and other insects
• Syn: ↑punkie, ↑punky, ↑punkey, ↑biting midge
• Hypernyms: ↑gnat
• Member Holonyms: ↑Ceratopogonidae, ↑family Ceratopogonidae
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\\nōˈsēəm\ noun (-s)Etymology: from the group of words (as supposedly spoken by American Indians) no see um you don't see them
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/noh see"euhm/, n. Northern and Western U.S.
punkie.
[1840-50, Amer.; pseudo-AmerInd E version of you can't see them]
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no-see-um «noh SEE uhm», noun.
a minute biting fly or midge; punkie.
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[nō 'sē ˌəm]n. a minute bloodsucking insect, esp. a biting midge
Useful english dictionary. 2012.