termitarium

termitarium

English

WOTD – 4 November 2012

Etymology

    From termite + -arium.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˌtɜɹ.mɪˈtɛ(ə)ɹ.i.əm/
      • Audio (Southern England):(file)

    Noun

    termitarium (plural termitariums or termitaria)

    1. A termite colony.
      • 2002, Frank N. Young, Jr.; Gene Kritsky, A Survey of Entomology[1], Writers Club Press, →ISBN, page 163:
        When an opening is made in a termitarium, soldiers crowd into the breach, and either stop the invaders or fill the breach with their termite dead.
      • 2010, P. J. Gullan, P.S. Cranston, The Insects: An Outline of Entomology[2], Wiley-Blackwell, →ISBN, page 332:
        The females are winged, but shed all but the stumps of the anterior veins after mating, before entering the termitarium.
      • 2012, Paul Stenner, “Pattern”, in Celia Lury, Nina Wakeford, editors, Inventive Methods: The Happening of the Social[3], Routledge, →ISBN, page 137:
        Likewise, given time, the initially rather random clay-gathering activity of termites results in a colossal termitarium, thanks to simple innate inclinations such as the preference to deposit one's ball of clay on larger balls of clay.

    Coordinate terms

    Translations