termite

See also: Termite and térmite

English

termites

Etymology

Back-formation from termites. Possibly from Latin termites (three syllables), plural of termes.

Also possible a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *term- (“drill”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈtɜː(ɹ).maɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)maɪt

Noun

termite (plural termites)

  1. A white-bodied, wood-consuming insect of the infraorder Isoptera, in the order Blattodea.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

termite (third-person singular simple present termites, present participle termiting, simple past and past participle termited)

  1. (intransitive) Of a chimpanzee: to catch termites by inserting a stick or vine into their nest and waiting for them to climb up it.

Further reading

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From the Late Latin termes, late variant of the Classical Latin tarmes (“woodworm”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɛʁ.mit/

Noun

termite m, f (plural termites)

  1. termite (white-bodied, wood-consuming insect)

Usage notes

While most dictionaries give termite has masculine, it is commonly used as a feminine noun, due to the ending -ite.

Further reading

Italian

Noun

termite m (plural termiti)

  1. termite (white-bodied, wood-consuming insect)

Anagrams

Latin

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈter.mi.te/, [ˈtɛr.mɪ.tɛ]

Noun

termite m

  1. ablative singular of termes
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