termite

[ tur-mahyt ]

noun

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.

termite

/ ˈtɜːmaɪt; tɜːˈmɪtɪk /

noun

1. 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 Also calledwhite ant

termite

/ 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

Derived Forms

• termitic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of termite¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of termite¹

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

Example Sentences

Inside it, various members of the termite colony perform different tasks.

From Science News For Students

If you think you have termites or bedbugs, it’s especially important to get multiple proposals.

From Washington Post

These subterranean termites native to East Asia have spread around the globe via trade.

From Science News

Naked mole-rat groups seem more like ant or termite colonies than mammal societies.

From Science News For Students

A couple of years ago, a network of termite mounds in Brazil was discovered that is as large as Great Britain.

From Quanta Magazine

It turns out, however, that Adamo's pieces are very closely based on real termite mounds.

From The Daily Beast

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?

From The Daily Beast

Lark & Termite (Random House) marks a critical comeback for Phillips.

From The Daily Beast

Its faceted termite eyes were expressionless diamonds, but the antennae gleamed a desperate saffron.

From Project Gutenberg

I killed her legitimate consort and substituted my own candidate after having anointed him with the genuine termite smell.

From Project Gutenberg

In many of the ant and termite colonies still greater differences exist between the different sets of individuals.

From Project Gutenberg

White′-alloy′, a cheap alloy used to imitate silver; White′-ant, a termite.

From Project Gutenberg

Nasuti: that type of termite soldiers that have the head prolonged into a point.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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