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Termite. World English Historical Dictionary

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Termite. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1916, rev. 2022. Termite [ad. L. termes, termit-em: see TERMES. So F. termite (Dict. Acad., 1835).

1   In early use always in pl. termites, orig. the L. plural, in 3 syllables, of termēs, but at length treated as Eng. and Fr. pl. in 2 syllables, whence singular termite: cf. -ITE 2.]

2   A pseudoneuropterous social insect of the genus Termes or family Termitidæ, chiefly tropical, and very destructive to timber; also called white ant.

3 1781.  Smeathman, in Phil. Trans., LXXI. 160. These turret nests, built by two different species of Termites.

4 1815.  Kirby & Sp., Entomol., ix. (1818), I. 261. None of them do their business so expeditiously or effectually as the Termites.

5 1859.  R. F. Burton, Centr. Afr., in Jrnl. Geog. Soc., XXIX. 177–8. They [ant-hills] are generally built by the termite under some shady tree, which prevents too rapid drying.

6 1880.  Even. Standard, 3 April, 4/3. Tho whole village is said to be infested with the termite, which in the head resembles greatly the ant…. It attacks woodwork, which it eats away.

7   b.  attrib., as termite ant; termite-hill, a conical mound constructed as a nest by termites.

8 1849.  Sk. Nat. Hist., Mammalia, IV. 208. The Great Ant-eater, or Ant-bear…. The limbs are … furnished with huge hook-like claws well adapted for making forcible entrance into the solid dwellings of the termite ants.

9 1871.  Tylor, Prim. Cult., II. xv. 187. Rivers, lakes, and springs,… termite-hills, trees.

10   Hence Termitary, also in mod.L. form termitarium [-ARY1 B. 2, -ARIUM], a termites’ nest; Termitic a., of, pertaining to, or formed by termites; Termitid, Termitine a., belonging to the Termitidæ; sb. an insect of this family, a termite; Termitophagous a. [Gr. -φαγος eating], feeding upon or devouring termites; Termitophilous a. [Gr. φίλος loving], inhabiting the nests of termites, as certain beetles; so Termitophile, a termitophilous insect.

11 1863.  Bates, Nat. Amazon, II. i. 63. The endless ramified galleries of which a Termitarium is composed.

12 1826.  Kirby & Sp., Entomol., IV. xlix. 478. The formicary, the *termitary, the vespiary, and the bee hive send forth their thousands.

13 1881.  Pinto, How I crossed Africa, I. v. 121. A soil … of *termitic formation.

14 1898.  E. P. Evans, Evol. Ethics, vi. 211. An advanced state of termitic civilization.

15 1899.  Camb. Nat. Hist., VI. 171. One member of this genus [Leptogenys] is of *Termitophagous habits.

16 1886.  Schwarz, in Proc. Entom. Soc. Washington, I. 160. In North America only a few *termitophilous species have hitherto been observed.

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