See Also: termite(medicine)
termite(dictionary)
termite(encyclopedia)
termite(dictionary)

termite (iou)



termite noun. (now only as mod. Latin genus name). L18.
[Latin termit-, termes woodworm, alt. of earlier tarmes perh. by assim. to terere rub.]
1. A member of the order Isoptera of chiefly tropical insects which live in large nests in social groups with physically distinct castes of individual, and are very destructive to timber owing to their ability to digest wood. Also called white ant. L18.
2. fig. A person who works relentlessly or esp. destructively. M20.
Comb.: termite-hill, termite-mound a roughly conical mound often of huge size constructed from cemented earth as a nest by termites, a termitarium.
termi'tarium noun, pl. -ria, a termites' nest, esp. in the form of a mound M19.
termitary noun = termitarium E19.
termitic adjective (now rare) of, pertaining to, or formed by termites L19.
termiting noun the extraction of termites for food, esp. by chimpanzees L20.
termi'tologist noun a person who studies termites M20.
termi'tophagous adjective feeding on termites L19.
termitophile noun a termitophilous insect E20.
termi'tophilous adjective (of a beetle etc.) inhabiting the nests of termites L19.