'ant-heap' originates from English, a compound of 'ant' + 'heap'.

'ant' comes from Old English 'ǣmete' (also spelled 'aemette'), and 'heap' comes from Old English 'hēap'; these elements combined in Modern English as the compound 'ant-heap'.

Initially it referred literally to a heap or group of ants; over time it has been used to mean the mound or nest created by ants (an anthill).