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.
Because age, termites and water had attacked wooden beams, the house sat unattached on its foundation; it has been reaffixed, and moisture levels controlled.
Rather than becoming more complex by adding new genes, termites evolved advanced social behavior by shedding genes, including those associated with sperm competition.
From Science Daily
They use sticks to gather ants and termites, and stones to crack nuts.
From BBC
“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
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.
