rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryteemBe full of life or activity
verb

teem

TEEM/tiːm/

To be full of many living or moving things.

The tidepool teems with tiny fish and shrimp around the seaweed.

Small clear tidepool densely teems with many tiny moving fish and shrimp around two seaweed fronds, active life fills bounded pool, sparse surrounding white.
Etymology
teemOld Englishbeget, give birth to, produce

Old English teman meant to give birth or produce offspring. The sense of swarming developed from the image of being so full of life as to be ready to give birth.

In context

Nat Geo Animals183:01
Its jungles teem with curious creatures; frogs and snakes that fly.
Freakiest Animals Across the Globe | MEGA EPISODE | Nat Geo Animals

More examples

  • The market teems with shoppers every Saturday.
  • Healthy soil can teem with microscopic life.
  • We explored a coral reef teeming with colorful fish.

Forms

teem · teems · teemed · teeming

Similar words

swarm
Emphasizes many creatures moving together, often in a dense group.
abound
Means to exist plentifully, without necessarily being alive or moving.