black-legged tick
noun
ˈblak-ˈlegd- 
-ˈlāgd-;
-ˈle-gəd-,
-ˈlā-
: either of two ixodid ticks:
a
b
: a tick (Ixodes pacificus) of the western U.S. and British Columbia that is the vector of several diseases (such as Lyme disease)
Examples of black-legged tick in a Sentence
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Lyme disease is caused by the borrelia bacteria, which is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of a black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick.
—
Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
The most likely culprit is the black-legged tick — commonly known as deer ticks — which may bite humans any time of year that temperatures remain above freezing, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
However, both local and global reports have now identified many different tick species across six continents that are capable of causing alpha-gal syndrome, including the prolific black-legged tick, or deer tick, which also transmits Lyme disease.
—Lee Rafuse Haines, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2025
Less commonly, the Western black-legged tick has been documented in pockets of northern Arizona, particularly in wooded highland areas.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 3 Aug. 2025
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Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
The most likely culprit is the black-legged tick — commonly known as deer ticks — which may bite humans any time of year that temperatures remain above freezing, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
However, both local and global reports have now identified many different tick species across six continents that are capable of causing alpha-gal syndrome, including the prolific black-legged tick, or deer tick, which also transmits Lyme disease.
—Lee Rafuse Haines, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2025
Less commonly, the Western black-legged tick has been documented in pockets of northern Arizona, particularly in wooded highland areas.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for black-legged tick
Cite this Entry
“Black-legged tick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-legged%20tick. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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