termite

Back-formation from termites. Possibly from Latin termites (three syllables), plural of termes.

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

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtɜː(ɹ).maɪt/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)maɪt

termite (plural termites)

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

• (white-bodied, wood-consuming insect): termes, white ant

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.

• termite on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• emitter

From the Late Latin termes, late variant of the Classical Latin tarmes (“woodworm”).

• IPA^(key): /tɛʁ.mit/

termite m or f (plural termites)

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

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

• “termite” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

termite m (plural termiti)

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

• rimette, temerti

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈter.mi.te/, [ˈtɛr.mɪ.tɛ]

termite m

1. ablative singular of termes