termite
Americannoun
noun
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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.
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Also called isopteran
Other Word Forms
- termitic adjective
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.
Vocabulary lists containing termite
Amazing Animals, A-Z
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Amazing Animals, List 2
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for May 6–May 12, 2023
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While some researchers have argued that high relatedness is not required, the new evidence suggests that monogamy and strong genetic ties were essential for termite societies.
From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2026
Experiments showed that whether a young termite becomes a worker or a future king or queen depends largely on nutrition during early development.
From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2026
Rivas explained that over time the wood weathered from brown to gray and was termite resistant.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2025
In his work Invisible Cities, he was inspired by termite mounds to reimagine what architecture might look like in the future.
From BBC • Nov. 29, 2024
One of the termite soldiers had transferred its mandibles from the grass to her finger.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
