termitarium

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English

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Etymology

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From termite +‎ -arium.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˌtɜɹ.mɪˈtɛ(ə)ɹ.i.əm/

Noun

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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

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Translations

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