ˌterəˈdinəˌdē noun plural
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Teredin-, Teredo, type genus + -idae
: a family of marine bivalve mollusks (order Eulamellibranchia) that live in burrows (as in wood or clay) which they rasp out with their small trilobed shells and line with a calcareous secretion, are very destructive to marine wooden constructions (as ships and wharves), and are vermiform with very long siphons united through most of their length — see bankia , shipworm , teredo ; compare pholas