teredo

noun

te·​re·​do tə-ˈrē-(ˌ)dō  -ˈrā- 

plural teredos

: shipworm

Examples of teredo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The seven plagues of California’s piers are fire, ocean storms, fire, old age, civic budgets, ship worms called teredos, and fire. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2024

The warm waters of the Caribbean are paradise for teredo worms, which are actually mollusks with a voracious appetite for wood. —Kristin Romey, National Geographic, 6 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle English terredo "woodworm," borrowed from Latin terēdin-, terēdō "shipworm," borrowed from Greek terēdon-, terēdṓn "woodworm," from terē- (base of teírein "to wear down, exhaust," téretron "auger") + -don-, -dōn, suffix of animal names — more at trite

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

teredo

noun

te·​re·​do tə-ˈrēd-ō  -ˈrād- 

plural teredos

: shipworm