termite

[tur-mahyt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR termite ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any of numerous pale-colored, soft-bodied, chiefly tropical social insects, of the order Isoptera, that feed on wood, some being highly destructive to buildings, furniture, etc.

Origin of termite

1775–85; taken as singular of New Latin termites, plural of termes white ant, Latin tarmes wood-eating worm

Also called white ant.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for termite

tick, vermin, pest, mite, bee, butterfly, gnat, dragonfly, moth, grasshopper, spider, cockroach, ant, mosquito, beetle, flea, aphid, ladybug, insect, rodent

Examples from the Web for termite

Contemporary Examples of termite

What drew you to the theme and why did you choose to set Lark & Termite in the past, and not say, during the current Iraq War?
Jayne Anne Phillips Goes to War
Lizzie Stark
March 2, 2009
Lark & Termite (Random House) marks a critical comeback for Phillips.
Jayne Anne Phillips Goes to War
Lizzie Stark
March 2, 2009

Historical Examples of termite

The different species of Termite are not equally industrious.
The Industries of Animals
Frdric Houssay
No doubt, to his own mind, he had placed them near one of the termite highways.
The Raid on the Termites
Paul Ernst
If you knew what you were talking about, you wouldn't dismiss the termite so casually!
The Raid on the Termites
Paul Ernst
I've never happened to be in termite country, though I've heard tales about them.
The Raid on the Termites
Paul Ernst
This type of termite was armored more poorly than the others.
The Raid on the Termites
Paul Ernst

British Dictionary definitions for termite

termite

noun

any whitish ant-like social insect of the order Isoptera, of warm and tropical regions. Some species feed on wood, causing damage to furniture, buildings, trees, etcAlso called: white ant

Derived Formstermitic (tɜːˈmɪtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for termite

C18: from New Latin termitēs white ants, pl of termes, from Latin: a woodworm; related to Greek tetrainein to bore through

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for termite

1849, back-formation from plural form termites (1781), from Modern Latin termites (three syllables), plural of termes (genitive termitis), a special use of Late Latin termes "woodworm, white ant," altered (by influence of Latin terere "to rub, wear, erode") from earlier Latin tarmes. Their nest is a terminarium (1863).

termite in Science

termite

[tûr′mīt′]

Any of various pale-colored insects of the order Isoptera that live in large colonies and feed on wood. Termites resemble ants in their appearance, manner of living, and social organization, but are not closely related. Termites can be very destructive to wooden buildings and structures. Also called isopteran