Word
termite
Phoneticster·mite
US/ˈtɝmaɪt/
UK/tˈɜːmaɪt/
Definition
n. a small insect that lives in groups and eats wood. They can cause a lot of damage to houses and trees because they break down the wood.
n. a eusocial insect of the order Isoptera, which lives in colonies and feeds primarily on cellulose found in wood and soil. Often considered a significant structural pest in residential and agricultural contexts.
Examples
“A termite ate through the wooden fence.”
“The inspector found a large termite colony inside the basement walls, which could weaken the house's foundation over time.”
“While often viewed as destructive pests, termites play a vital ecological role by breaking down dead plant material and returning nutrients to the soil in tropical ecosystems.”
Examples
simple
“A termite ate through the wooden fence.”
contextual
“The inspector found a large termite colony inside the basement walls, which could weaken the house's foundation over time.”
complex
“While often viewed as destructive pests, termites play a vital ecological role by breaking down dead plant material and returning nutrients to the soil in tropical ecosystems.”
Real-World Examples
“By contrast, eusociality has appeared only rarely in other insect groups, including termites, thrips, aphids and a small number of beetles.” Etymology
Inferred singular of termites, the plural of Latin termes (“woodworm”), which was used for termites by Linnaeus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/termite