'myrmecophagid' originates from New Latin 'Myrmecophagidae', ultimately from Greek 'myrmex' (μύρμηξ) meaning 'ant' and 'phagein' (φαγεῖν) meaning 'to eat', with the suffix '-id' indicating belonging to a family.

'myrmecophagid' developed from Greek 'myrmecophagos' (ant-eating) into New/Modern Latin 'Myrmecophagidae' (a family name for anteaters) and was then adopted into English as 'myrmecophagid' to denote members of that family or relating to ant-eating.

Initially it conveyed 'ant-eating' (describing feeding behavior); over time it became the name applied to the family of ant-eating mammals (anteaters) and to things relating to them, which remains its current meaning.