comb. form of L. lignum wood, as in Lignicole, Lignicoline adjs. [L. colĕre to inhabit], growing on wood, as some mosses, lichens, and fungi (Cent. Dict.). Lignicolous a. [f. as prec. + -OUS], living in wood; ‘applied to certain bivalve shells which establish themselves in wood’ (Mayne, Expos. Lex., 1855). Ligniferous a. [see -FEROUS], bearing or producing wood (ibid.). Ligniform a. [see -FORM], of the form or appearance of wood. Ligniperdous a. [L. perdĕre to destroy], wood-destroying. Lignivorous (a. [L. -vorus devouring], wood-devouring.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), II. 60. *Ligniform Carbonated Wood.
1832. Lyell, Princ. Geol., II. vii. 122. Beetles, and many other kinds of *ligniperdous insects have been introduced into Great Britain in timber.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., xlix. (1828), IV. 492. In the saprophaga, the *lignivorous tribes form more than a half.
1863. Bates, Nat. Amazons, I. v. 206–7. The felled timber attracts lignivorous insects.
