ant
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
ant
n 1: social insect living in organized colonies;
characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings
during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the
workers [syn: {ant}, {emmet}, {pismire}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Ant \Ant\, n. [OE. ante, amete, emete, AS. [ae]mete akin to G.
ameise. Cf. {Emmet}.] (Zool.)
A hymenopterous insect of the Linn[ae]an genus {Formica},
which is now made a family of several genera; an emmet; a
pismire.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Among ants, as among bees, there are neuter or working
ants, besides the males and females; the former are
without wings. Ants live together in swarms, usually
raising hillocks of earth, variously chambered within,
where they maintain a perfect system of order, store
their provisions, and nurture their young. There are
many species, with diverse habits, as agricultural
ants, carpenter ants, honey ants, foraging ants, amazon
ants, etc. The white ants or Termites belong to the
Neuroptera.
[1913 Webster]
{Ant bird} (Zool.), one of a very extensive group of South
American birds ({Formicariid[ae]}), which live on ants.
The family includes many species, some of which are called
{ant shrikes}, {ant thrushes}, and {ant wrens}.
{Ant rice} (Bot.), a species of grass ({Aristida oligantha})
cultivated by the agricultural ants of Texas for the sake
of its seed.
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Ant
(Heb. nemalah, from a word meaning to creep, cut off, destroy),
referred to in Prov. 6:6; 30:25, as distinguished for its
prudent habits. Many ants in Palestine feed on animal
substances, but others draw their nourishment partly or
exclusively from vegetables. To the latter class belongs the ant
to which Solomon refers. This ant gathers the seeds in the
season of ripening, and stores them for future use; a habit that
has been observed in ants in Texas, India, and Italy.
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