From French termite, which is from Latin termites, plural of termes.

Also possibly a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *term-.

• (British) IPA: /ˈtɜː(ɹ).maɪt/

termite (plural termites)

1. A white-bodied, wood-consuming insect of the infraorder Isoptera, in the order Blattodea.
   • 1802, Francis William Blagdon, Modern Discoveries; or, a Collection of facts and observations, volume IV, page 162:

     Linnæus describes this insect under the Latin name of Termes; and citizen Cuvier speaks of it under that of Termites. The vulgar call it by that of white ant, or fourmi vaguevague. The termites divide themselves into societies: each society builds itself a next, and each nest belongs to an innumerable quantity of these insects, who acknowledge for their chiefs a king and a queen.

2. A contemptible person.

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

• French: termite
• German: Termite
• Italian: termite
• Portuguese: térmite, térmita, cupim (Brazil)
• Russian: терми́т
• Spanish: termes, comején (America), termita (polysemic), térmite, anay (Philippines), sepe (Bolivia)

termite (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.