[1675–85]This word is first recorded in the period 1675–85. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: constitutional, eclectic, explorer, stoma, upstream
white-ant in American English
(ˈhwaitˌænt, ˈwait-)
transitive verb
Austral informal
to undermine or subvert from within
Word origin
[1915–20]This word is first recorded in the period 1915–20. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: camouflage, conditioning, markup, neorealism, takeout
Examples of 'white ant' in a sentence
white ant
Some put the nets around anthills to catch white ants, a traditional snack.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The rooms are built from makuti palm-matting woven by local villagers, and rebuilt every six years as the white ants gradually devour them.