Pronunciation: fo ̇ r- ' m ō -s ə n-, f ə r-, -z ə n-
Function: noun
Etymology: Formosa (Taiwan)
Date: 1968
: a large termite ( Coptotermes formosanus of the family Rhinotermitidae) native to Taiwan and nearby areas and introduced into Hawaii, California, and some southern U.S. states where it is a destructive pest of wooden structures ― called also Formosan subterranean termite