powder-post termite
- noun
- /ˈpaʊdər poʊst ˈtɜrmaɪt/
- Specialized
:
termita de madera seca
- Pest control experts found evidence of powder-post termites inside the antique furniture.
Examples
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A powder-post termite infestation can quickly weaken wooden beams in houses.
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Residents in tropical regions often protect their homes from powder-post termite damage.
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The powder-post termite is known for its destructive habits.
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Have you seen a powder-post termite before?
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A powder-post termite infestation can quickly weaken wooden beams in houses.
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Residents in tropical regions often protect their homes from powder-post termite damage.
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Pest control experts found evidence of powder-post termites inside the antique furniture.
Synonyms
63
2.9
A small pale insect that lives in large groups, eats wood, and damages houses
A small insect that lives in and eats dry wood not touching the ground
Surface Forms
Morphology
powder-post + termite
The compound pairs a specialized term 'powder-post' (literally suggesting wood reduced to powder) with 'termite' (a wood-eating insect). A B1 learner knowing 'powder', 'post', and 'termite' can probably infer it denotes a wood‑damaging termite that produces powder, but 'powder-post' is a technical, lexicalized entomological term so the meaning is only partly predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Powder-post termite may come from the insect's habit of eating wood until it becomes a fine dust. The words powder (the dust they leave) and post (a wooden beam or post) give the image, so the name now means a termite that makes wood turn to powder and damage parts of a house.