What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
cootie
Example
She was afraid of getting cooties from the other kids at school. [cooties: noun]
Example
He thinks he's too good to play with us because we have cooties. [cooties: slang for being dirty or unclean]
bug
Example
I saw a bug crawling on the wall. [bug: noun]
Example
I caught a bug and now I'm feeling sick. [bug: slang for a virus or illness]
Example
There seems to be a bug in the software that's causing it to crash. [bug: programming term for a defect or error]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Bug is more commonly used than cootie in everyday language, due to its versatility and wider range of meanings.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between cootie and bug?
While cootie is typically associated with a childish or informal tone, bug can be used in both informal and formal contexts, depending on the context and meaning.