termite Hear it!

termite Definition

ter·mite (tʉr′mīt′)

noun

any of an order (Isoptera) of pale-colored social insects having a soft body and living in colonies composed of winged forms that mate and wingless workers and soldiers that are usually sterile or immature: they are very destructive to wooden structures and are found in the temperate zones and esp. in the tropics

Etymology: < LL termes (gen. termitis) < L tarmes, wood-boring worm < base of terere, to rub, bore: see throw

termite Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • subterranean: Tall red mounds of earth, the work of voracious subterranean termites, pepper the landscape as far as the eye can see.

Converse of object

  • eat: It is a catholic feeder which will take mammals the size of a dik-dik but it eats termites.
  • include: Boron compounds are also effective against all common causes of insect attack in timber ( including termites!

Converse of subject

  • eat: The wood was eventually eaten by termites, leaving a space.
  • attack: Many of the houses today are in a delapidated state, as the wood is easily attacked by termites.

Modifies a noun

  • mound: His father's fire pot was now a small red star that forever followed the Great Eagle round the termite mound of heaven.
  • nest: Over six months, 69 group visits to termite nests were filmed.
  • hill: Ants have erected a termite hill in the ruins of his kitchen - a terrible omen.
  • attack: He also ensured that these fine carvings were saved from the ravages of termite attack.
  • colony: The ultimate development of this is found in the social systems in bee, ant, wasp and termite colonies.
  • damage: If the resolution was better, you could see termite damage on the upper left corner.

Noun used with modifier

  • soldier: Termite task force tackles trash A Ugandan scientist has discovered a potentially useful role for the soldier termite - waste disposal.