Word
exterminator
Phoneticsex·ter·mi·na·tor, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪkˈstɝməˌneɪtɝ/
UK/ɛkstˈɜːmɪnˌeɪtɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person whose job is to kill insects, rats and other pests in homes and buildings.
n. a professional who eliminates vermin, insects, or other pests from buildings and surrounding areas, typically employed for domestic or commercial pest control.
Examples
“We call the exterminator when we see cockroaches.”
“The landlord hired an exterminator to deal with the mice in the basement storage room.”
“After months of failed traps and home remedies, the family finally contacted an exterminator whose targeted treatment cleared the wasp nest within a single afternoon.”
Examples
simple
“We call the exterminator when we see cockroaches.”
contextual
“The landlord hired an exterminator to deal with the mice in the basement storage room.”
complex
“After months of failed traps and home remedies, the family finally contacted an exterminator whose targeted treatment cleared the wasp nest within a single afternoon.”
Real-World Examples
“It makes sense to hire professional exterminators who are experienced in getting rid of bedbugs, Pietri and other experts said.” “Exterminators are adding mosquitoes to their traditional services and new companies are making mosquitoes their primary focus.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin exterminātor. By surface analysis, exterminate + -or.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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