Small parasitic insects that live in beds and furniture and feed on human blood, causing itchy welts on the skin.
Compound of 'bed' and 'bug,' from Old English 'bedd' (bed) and from Old English 'budda' or similar Germanic roots for insect. The compound term first appeared in the 17th century.
Bedbugs nearly disappeared from wealthy countries after pesticides were widely used, but they've made a major comeback in the last 20 years because they've evolved resistance to those same pesticides—they're survival experts!
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