termite
Use Termite in a sentence
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maɪt noun
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.
Also called white ant.
Origin:
1775–85; taken as singular of Neo-Latin termites, plural of termes white ant, Latin tarmes wood-eating worm
1775–85; taken as singular of Neo-Latin termites, plural of termes white ant, Latin tarmes wood-eating worm
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To termite
Collins
World English Dictionary
termite (ˈtɜːmaɪt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| Also called: white ant 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 | |
| [C18: from New Latin termitēs white ants, pl of termes, from Latin: a woodworm; related to Greek tetrainein to bore through] | |
| termitic | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Termite
is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
termite
1849, back-formation from plural form termites (1781), from Mod.L. termites (three syllables), pl. of termes (gen. termitis), a special use of L.L. termes "woodworm, white ant," altered (by influence of L. terere "to rub, wear, erode") from earlier L. tarmes. Their nest is a terminarium (1863).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| termite (tûr'mīt') Pronunciation Key
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. Also called isopteran. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
Termite biology and necessary control measures are not well understood by homeowners.
The animals use their keen sense of smell to detect termite mounds and anthills and tear them open with strong claws.
The view from a car window reveals plantations of hairy eucalyptus trees and cow pastures rife with termite mounds.
Banded mongooses are often found in areas with many termite mounds because they use the mounds as den sites.
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