ant-eating
|ant-eat-ing|
/ˈæntˌiːtɪŋ/
feeds on ants
Etymology
'ant-eating' originates from Modern English, formed as a compound of the noun 'ant' and the present-participle 'eating' (from the verb 'eat').
'ant' comes from Old English 'ǣmete' (or variants) ultimately from Proto-Germanic roots for the insect; 'eat' comes from Old English 'etan' (verb). The compound 'ant-eating' is a straightforward Modern English formation combining these elements.
Initially and historically the components meant 'ant' and 'to eat'; the compound has retained the basic sense 'feeding on ants' into modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an animal that eats ants (an ant eater); used to refer to a species or individual whose diet consists largely of ants.
The small ant-eating in that region primarily hunts during the wet season.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
feeding on or characterized by eating ants; describing a species or individual that consumes ants as a usual part of its diet.
An ant-eating bird probes bark and crevices to find hidden colonies.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/02 05:25