antbird
|ant-bird|
🇺🇸
/ˈæntbɝd/
🇬🇧
/ˈæntbɜːd/
bird that follows ants
Etymology
'antbird' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'ant' and 'bird', used to describe birds associated with ants.
'ant' comes from Old English 'ǣmete' (related to Proto-Germanic *amaitijaz) and 'bird' comes from Old English 'bridde'/'bridd'; the modern compound 'antbird' developed in English to name these ant-following birds (19th century usage as a bird name).
Initially a literal compound meaning 'a bird associated with ants', and over time it became the established common name for members of the family Thamnophilidae that exhibit ant-following behavior.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small tropical American bird of the family Thamnophilidae that often follows swarms of army ants to feed on insects and other small animals disturbed by the ants.
An antbird followed the army ants through the forest, catching insects that fled from the ants.
Last updated: 2025/08/21 03:06