termite

See also: Termite and térmite

English

Termites

Etymology

Etymology tree
Latin termes
Latin termitēsbor.
English termitesbf.
English termite

    Inferred singular of termites, the plural form borrowed from Latin termites, the plural of Latin termes (“woodworm”), which was used for termites by Linnaeus.

    Pronunciation

    • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈtɜː(ɹ).maɪt/
    • Audio (Southern England):(file)
    • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)maɪt

    Noun

    termite (plural termites)

    1. A colonial insect of the infraorder Isoptera, in the order Blattodea; typically known for certain white-bodied species that devour and infest wood, though other species eat different plant matter, such as grasses.
      • 1802, Francis William Blagdon, Modern Discoveries; or, a Collection of facts and observations, volume IV, page 162:
        Linnæus describes this insect under the Latin name of Termes; and citizen Cuvier speaks of it under that of Termites. The vulgar call it by that of white ant, or fourmi vaguevague. The termites divide themselves into societies: each society builds itself a next, and each nest belongs to an innumerable quantity of these insects, who acknowledge for their chiefs a king and a queen.
    2. A contemptible person.
      • 2019, Justin Blackburn, The Bisexual Christian Suburban Failure Enlightening Bipolar Blues, page 31:
        This two faced termite has the nerve to talk.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    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.

    Derived terms

    See also

    extant orders of insects in English

    Further reading

    Anagrams

    French

    Etymology

    Back-formation from termites. From Late Latin termites (plural of termes), late variant of the Classical Latin tarmes (“woodworm”).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    termite m or f (plural termites)

    1. termite (white-bodied, wood-consuming insect)
      Synonym: fourmi blanche
      • 1798, Georges Cuvier, Tableau élémentaire de l'histoire naturelle des animaux, page 479:
        Les termites parfaits ont le corps et la tête applatis horizontalement ; trois articles à tous les doigts. Leurs antennes, en forme de chapelet, les distinguent assez des autres genres de cet ordre. […]
        1. Le termite belliqueux. (Termes fatale.)
        Est l'espèce la plus grande et la plus commune. […]
        2. Le termite atroce. (Termes arda.)
        Noir, à pieds pâles, et
        3. Le termite mordant. (Termes mordax.)
        Noir, à pieds de même couleur.
        (please add an English translation of this quotation)

    Usage notes

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

    Descendants

    • → Romanian: termită

    Further reading

    Italian

    Etymology

    From Late Latin termitem.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈtɛr.mi.te/
      • Rhymes: -ɛrmite
      • Hyphenation: tèr‧mi‧te
    • (deprecated) IPA(key): /terˈmi.te/
      • Rhymes: -ite
      • Hyphenation: ter‧mì‧te

    Noun

    termite f (plural termiti)

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

    Further reading

    • “termite”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

    Anagrams

    Latin

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    termite m

    1. ablative singular of termes
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