Termite Definition

tûrmīt

termites

noun

termites

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.

Webster's New World

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

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
white-ant

Other Word Forms of Termite

Noun

Singular:

termite

Plural:

termites

Origin of Termite

New Latin Termes genus name from Late Latin termes termit- woodworm alteration of Latin tarmes

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Back-formation from termites. Possibly from Latin termites (three syllables), plural of termes.

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

From Wiktionary