Standard Lemma guide

thermite

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˈθɜː(ɹ).maɪt/
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)maɪt

1

noun

Meaning 1

A mixture of a metal and a metal oxide capable of producing a thermite reaction, such as aluminium metal and ferric oxide; used in incendiary devices.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From German Thermit, from Ancient Greek θερμός (thermós, “heat”) + -it; comparable to English therm- + -ite.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: термит (termit) — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Catalan: termita — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鋁熱劑 /铝热剂 (lǚrèjì) — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Dutch: thermiet — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Esperanto: termito — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Finnish: termiitti — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • German: Thermit — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Japanese: テルミット (terumitto) — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Korean: 테르밋 (tereumit) — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Korean: 테르미트 (tereumiteu) — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Polish: termit — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Russian: терми́т (termít) — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Spanish: termita — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide
  • Swedish: termit — mixture of aluminum and ferric oxide