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
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.
“Hardwood floors, and made out of redwood so you don’t have to worry about termites.”
From Los Angeles Times
Other social organisms, including termites, may have followed similar evolutionary paths, although that possibility still needs further testing.
From Science Daily
Friend, noting that your house has termites is not the same as moving in with the neighbors.
From MarketWatch
Like John le Carré, he creates his own jargon: safe houses are “coops,” spycraft is “artifice,” freelance agents are “units” and deep-cover moles are “termites.”
Take an issue like termites, Gonzales says: it’s much less of a setback—and could be less expensive—to identify and fix the issue before a prospective buyer uncovers it during an inspection.
From Barron's
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.
