teem

1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈtēm 

teemed; teeming; teems

intransitive verb

1

a

: to become filled to overflowing : abound

b

: to be present in large quantity

2

obsolete : to become pregnant : conceive

transitive verb

archaic : bring forth : give birth to : produce

teemingly

ˈtē-miŋ-lē 

adverb

teemingness noun

teem

2 of 2

verb (2)

teemed; teeming; teems

transitive verb

: empty, pour

teem molten metal into a mold

Did you know?

Teem and team are not just homophones, they are also etymological kin. Teem comes from Old English tīman or tǣman, which originally meant "to bring forth offspring" or "to give birth to.” That word is related to the ancestor of team, the Old English noun tēam, meaning "offspring, lineage, or group of draft animals." Team can still be used to refer to a brood of young animals, especially pigs or ducks, but both teem and team have otherwise largely left their offspring-related senses behind.

Did you know?

What is the difference between the verbs teem and team?

If you want to describe an overflowing abundance of something, the word you are looking for is teem. We often see reference to "the teeming masses," "streets teeming with activity," or "forests teeming with life." You want the word team if you are trying to describe pairing two or more things in a coordinated ensemble ("she teamed the oxen together"), or forming some kind of partnership or association ("we are teaming with another organization this year").

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• abound
• brim
• bristle
• bulge
• burst
• bustle
• buzz
• crawl
• hum
• overflow
• pullulate
• swarm

Examples of teem in a Sentence

Verb (1)

the area teems with entrepreneurs hoping to hit upon the next big thing

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Then, at 9 p.m. on the dot, attendees were ushered into a cavernous aircraft hangar, which had been transformed for the night into a lavish dining room, with tables draped in gold silks and teeming floral centerpieces that hid buckets stocked with Champagne on ice. —Liam Hess, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2024

The teeming action involves large-scale battles, domestic conflicts, and philosophical wrangling. —The New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2024

Related Video The Stark Family Takes Vogue Inside The Very Rock ’n’ Roll Chrome Hearts Factory in Los Angeles Daniel Arsham and Honor Titus, whose teeming oeuvres have long included images and objects from the world of athletics, did some version of the same. —Marley Marius, Vogue, 26 July 2024

The Lagos native had fled Nigeria’s dense, crowded, teeming metropolis in the hopes of a fresh start in the U.K. —Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English temen, from Old English tīman, tǣman; akin to Old English tēam offspring — more at team entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English temen, from Old Norse tœma; akin to Old English tōm empty

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing teem

• teem down
• teem with
• teem with rain

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Kids Definition

teem

verb

ˈtēm

: to become filled : abound

a stream teeming with fish