termite
Americannoun
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termites
plural
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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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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.
See Examples For:
“It’s like a termite almost, just kind of chips away every day,” Sohn said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Wilson wonders if his particular termite art — treating street B-roll like a hidden archive of absurd humanity — has a place in the cutthroat film world of today.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The team hopes those microbial signatures could eventually form the basis of a simple diagnostic tool that helps pest professionals determine whether termite evidence is recent enough to justify treatment.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
As a young numbat scoffs his breakfast – custard with "termite sprinkles" – at Perth Zoo, a keeper explains how this stud's upcoming release at Dryandra will help boost genetic diversity.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
With some alternation of terms, some toning down, the passage could describe the building of a termite nest.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
The termites continued toward their next molt, but eventually failed to complete it successfully and died.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
Drywood termites are remarkably good at disappearing into the very material they destroy.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
The exchange is important because it transfers nutrients and gut microbes that help termites digest wood.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
For termites, it provides protective armor while also creating sturdy attachment points for muscles.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
The grass was covered with termites all clinging on with their jaws.
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
