xylotomous

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adjective

That bores or cuts into wood, as with certain insects.

“Isopterophobia is the fear of termites or other xylotomous insects.”

OriginAncient Greek ξύλον →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

adjectivexylotomous (not comparable)
  1. not comparableThat bores or cuts into wood, as with certain insects.

    Isopterophobia is the fear of termites or other xylotomous insects.

    2 more examples

    Real estate agents in the southern U.S. routinely handle questions about the presence of xylotomous insects, primarily termites.

    Wooden structures in the tropics must be chemically treated to repel xylotomous pests.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekξύλον“wood”
  2. Englishxylotomous

Ancient Greek ξύλον (xúlon, “wood”) + τομία (tomía, “cut”), from τέμνειν (témnein, “to cut”)

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech dřevožravý
  • dřevožravýthat bores or cuts into wood
Cite this entry
APA

xylotomous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xylotomous

MLA

“xylotomous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xylotomous. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “xylotomous,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xylotomous.

Source: xylotomous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.