ankle-biter

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A small child.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A small dog, especially a poorly-behaved one.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A relatively minor, irritating problem or task.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ankle-biter” mean?

A small child.

Is “ankle-biter” formal or informal?

ankle-biter is generally slang.