Remember, when it comes to “team” vs. “teem”:
- Team (noun) – a group of individuals undertaking a joint action
- Team (verb) – to join together as a group to pusue a shared undertaking
- Teem (verb) – to be filled to overflowing, over-abundant, increasingly crowded
More definitions exist than these; however, they seem to be the most common. And whether you have ever confused these spellings or not, there’s more to this conversation.
Both can indeed use the preposition “with” when acting in their verb forms (“teaming with” vs. “teeming with”), but their connection is much deeper. Obsolete definitions of these two words lay bare their connected ancestry, allowing for meanings you might not pull out for everyday use but are simultaneously fascinating.
Forget modern life for a moment. The Old English word tēam meant “progeny,” “descendants,” “lineage,” or even “a group of draft animals.” Thus, a tēam of ducks or pigs was a standard usage, and we’re not talking about hockey players or sideline mascots. This is another type of team buiding entirely.
The word “teem” derived from the related Old English word tīman or tǣman, which meant “to produce offspring” or “to give birth to.” And, of course, produce enough offspring, and the space will be teeming with them. Hello, modern usage. Is this where rabbits enter the conversation?
As for the chaos, here’s hoping getting our words right will quell at least one modern anxiety. And if that doesn’t help, just think of ducks. A team of them. A pond teeming with them. Who doesn’t love ducks?
Go team.
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