termite

American  

[tur-mahyt] / ˈtɜr maɪt /

noun

termites plural

1. 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.

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termite British  

/ ˈtɜːmaɪt, tɜːˈmɪtɪk /

noun

1. Also called: white ant.  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, etc

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termite Scientific  

/ tûr′mīt′ /

1. 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.

2. Also called isopteran

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• termitic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• termites
  plural

Etymology

Origin of termite

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

Explanation

A termite is a tiny insect that can cause big problems. Termites eat wood, and they can severely damage buildings. If you have termites in your house, you'd better call an exterminator. Termites live in large colonies, like ants, and they have a habit of remaining concealed from view. These characteristics, along with their taste for wood, mean they often destroy wooden houses or other structures from the inside, leaving a thin layer of wood that hides the destruction until it's too late to stop it. In some places, it's common for people to eat termites.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

termite termites

"This chemical is more environmentally friendly than ones traditionally used for drywood termite infestations," said Nicholas Poulos, corresponding author of the paper and a doctoral student in UCR's Department of Entomology.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026

The UCR team has also explored another clever way to improve termite control: using scent to draw termites toward treated wood.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026

"The discovery of this distinctive new termite species underscores the vast number of unnamed organisms yet to be discovered on our planet," said Scheffrahn.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2026

As a drywood termite, Cryptotermes mobydicki does not pose a risk to buildings or trade.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2026

When you consider the size of an individual termite, photographed standing alongside his nest, he ranks with the New Yorker and shows a better sense of organization than a resident of Los Angeles.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

“Cathedral termites in Australia,” Mr. Huling writes, “build mounds more than 15 feet tall, which, relative to their individual size, makes their buildings significantly larger than humanity’s tallest skyscraper is to us.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

You will not see Daleks running a seaside hotel, or yelling “exterminate” unless termites have gotten into the foundation; Cybermen will not be going into public relations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

A more accurate metaphor would be credit termites — insects that infest and destroy structural timbers.

From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026

After termites fed on treated wood, they passed material to other members of the colony.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026

“I used a man’s shovel by myself and ate termites and jumped up and down on a Mask!”

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• ant
• aphid
• bee
• beetle
• butterfly
• cockroach
• dragonfly
• flea
• fruit fly
• gnat
• grasshopper
• ladybug
• mite
• mosquito
• moth
• pest
• spider
• tick