chigoe
(ˈtʃɪgəʊ)
Also 7(?)–8 chego, 8 chiego, 8–9 chegoe, chigre, 9 chigua, chigo. Also chigger, chiger, jigger.
[A West-Indian name: the F. form is chique, which Littré thinks identical with Sp. chico small; of this chigo might be a Negro corruption: evidence is wanting. Chigger, jigger, are corruptions by English-speaking people.]
A small species of flea (Pulex or Sarcopsylla penetrans), found in the West Indies and South America. The female burrows beneath the skin of the human feet (and sometimes of the hands) and becomes greatly distended with eggs, which are sometimes hatched there, causing itching, and painful sores. Hence † chigoe-pated a. (quot. 1691).
| 1691 Reply to Vind. of Disc. on Unreasonableness of New Separation 11 By Vertue of which..a busie Chego-pated Priest may insolently attempt to Visit his Metropolitan. 1708 Kersey, Chiego, a small Creature that gets into the Feet of those that live in the Island of Barbadoes, and makes them very uneasie. 1748 Phil. Trans. XLV. 162 The Chego. 1756 P. Browne Jamaica 418 The Chigoe or Chiger..is very frequent and troublesome in all our sugar-colonies. 1781 Smeatham in Phil. Trans. LXXI. 170 The jigger of the West Indies. 1796 Stedman Surinam I. vii. 137 Multitudes of chigoes or sand-fleas. 1810 Southey Hist. Brazil x. 436 The first settlers suffered terribly from the chiguas or jiggers. 1868 F. Boyle Ride across Cont. 68 ‘Neguas’..better known in England by their West Indian name, ‘jiggers’ or ‘chigos’. |