Cootie (noun)

An imaginary tiny creature or insect thought to cause itching or irritation, especially as imagined by children.

Origin:

Early 20th century: origin uncertain; probably of imitative origin.

Examples:

1. The children were afraid of cooties and avoided contact with the opposite sex.
2. The teacher tried to explain that cooties were not real and that germs were the cause of the illnesses.
3. The little boy had a cootie catcher, a paper toy that was used to catch cooties.
4. The children would often check each other for cooties and avoid those who had them.
5. The game of tag was often called "cootie tag", where the child who was "it" would pass cooties to the others.