exterminator

[ ik-stur-muh-ney-ter ]

noun

1. a person or thing that exterminates.
2. a person or business establishment specializing in the elimination of vermin, insects, etc., from a building, apartment, etc., especially by the controlled application of toxic chemicals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of exterminator¹

From the Late Latin word exterminātor, dating back to 1605–15. See extermine, -ator

Example Sentences

“Bees are still wild animals” but nothing to call an exterminator for, Durboraw said.

From Los Angeles Times

The department also said that its own inspection this week did not reveal any black worms, and that the jail maintains a contract with an exterminator.

From Los Angeles Times

A man posing as a pest exterminator tried to gain access to a San Diego hotel that operates as a shelter for migrant families.

From New York Times

My husband called an exterminator, who agreed to come the next morning.

From New York Times

New York exterminators currently kill rats using snap and glue traps, poisons that make them bleed internally, and carbon monoxide gas that can suffocate them in burrows.

From Seattle Times

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