Definition of teem
transitive verb
archaic
:bring forth :give birth to :produce
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From the M-W Editors
teem was our Word of the Day on 02/22/2014. Hear the podcast!
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Recent Examples of teem from the Web
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My point being that every seat of learning in America projects an image of a faculty teeming with committed and conscientious pedagogues.
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By midafternoon, cars were allowed to access the street, and Las Ramblas was again teeming with tourists and locals.
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Soares is a man who could easily blend into the fabric of Miami, a city teeming with rich foreign nationals and a haven for deposed leaders and others looking for breathing room when law enforcement in their home countries turns up the heat.
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Indeed, the researchers have found that sponges that had been regularly sanitized teemed with a higher percentage of bacteria related to pathogens than sponges that had never been cleaned.
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The 298-foot long railway terminates at two enticing destinations—on top of Bunker Hill, near the outdoor Water Court shopping mall, and down below on Hill Street, steps from the teeming Grand Central Market.
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Even in an administration teeming with people who would ordinarily be considered unqualified, Donald Trump’s nomination of Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy suggested new depths of contempt for the machinery of government.
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Director Luc Besson creates wondrous creatures and settings, dropping viewers into a far-future adventure teeming with alien life.
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The seawater is teeming with potential food sources like zooplankton.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'teem.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of teem
Middle English temen, from Old English tīman, tǣman; akin to Old English tēam offspring — more at 1team
Recent Examples of teem from the Web
-
My point being that every seat of learning in America projects an image of a faculty teeming with committed and conscientious pedagogues.
-
By midafternoon, cars were allowed to access the street, and Las Ramblas was again teeming with tourists and locals.
-
Soares is a man who could easily blend into the fabric of Miami, a city teeming with rich foreign nationals and a haven for deposed leaders and others looking for breathing room when law enforcement in their home countries turns up the heat.
-
Indeed, the researchers have found that sponges that had been regularly sanitized teemed with a higher percentage of bacteria related to pathogens than sponges that had never been cleaned.
-
The 298-foot long railway terminates at two enticing destinations—on top of Bunker Hill, near the outdoor Water Court shopping mall, and down below on Hill Street, steps from the teeming Grand Central Market.
-
Even in an administration teeming with people who would ordinarily be considered unqualified, Donald Trump’s nomination of Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy suggested new depths of contempt for the machinery of government.
-
Director Luc Besson creates wondrous creatures and settings, dropping viewers into a far-future adventure teeming with alien life.
-
The seawater is teeming with potential food sources like zooplankton.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'teem.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of teem
Middle English temen, from Old Norse tœma; akin to Old English tōm empty
TEEM Defined for Kids
teem
play
verb
\
ˈtēm
\
Definition of teem for Students
teemed;
teeming
:to be full of something
- The streams teemed with fish.
Learn More about teem
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See words that rhyme with teem Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for teem Spanish Central: Translation of teem Nglish: Translation of teem for Spanish speakers
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