Illustration of deer tick
deer tick
noun
: an ixodid tick (Ixodes scapularis synonym I. dammini) of the eastern U.S. and Canada that transmits the bacterium causing Lyme disease
called also black-legged tick
Examples of deer tick in a Sentence
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Adult deer ticks, for example, are about 1/10th of an inch when they’re not engorged.
—
Angela Haupt, Time, 30 May 2025
In addition, more people may live near deer ticks than compared to a few decades ago.
—Seth Roeser, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
It is most commonly seen in areas better known for Lyme disease — the Northeast and Midwest parts of the United States — because it is transmitted by the same tick, the black-legged deer tick, Ixodes scapularis.
—Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
What ticks to look out for One of the primary tick species to be wary of in the U.S. is the black-legged tick, also called the deer tick or the bear tick.
—Margie Cullen, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
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Angela Haupt, Time, 30 May 2025
In addition, more people may live near deer ticks than compared to a few decades ago.
—Seth Roeser, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
It is most commonly seen in areas better known for Lyme disease — the Northeast and Midwest parts of the United States — because it is transmitted by the same tick, the black-legged deer tick, Ixodes scapularis.
—Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
What ticks to look out for One of the primary tick species to be wary of in the U.S. is the black-legged tick, also called the deer tick or the bear tick.
—Margie Cullen, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deer tick
Cite this Entry
“Deer tick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deer%20tick. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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deer tick
noun
: a tick of the genus Ixodes (I. scapularis synonym I. dammini) that transmits the bacterium causing Lyme disease
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