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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Even a stretch of sub-zero weather like one in late January and early February won’t harm the black-legged tick, the Lyme disease-carrying species that should be familiar to anyone who spends time outdoors in Rhode Island.
—
Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 14 Feb. 2026
The infection is spread by black-legged tick bites, or deer ticks, which are most common across the eastern U.S.
—Mary Eber, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
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
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Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, 14 Feb. 2026
The infection is spread by black-legged tick bites, or deer ticks, which are most common across the eastern U.S.
—Mary Eber, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
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
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 20 Feb. 2026.
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