ant

1 of 6

noun

: any of a family (Formicidae) of colonial hymenopterous insects with a complex social organization and various castes performing special duties

ant

2 of 6

abbreviation (1)

1
antenna
2
antonym

Ant

3 of 6

abbreviation (2)

Antarctica

ant-

4 of 6

prefix

see anti-

-ant

5 of 6

noun suffix

1
a
: one that performs (a specified action) : personal or impersonal agent
claimant
coolant
b
: thing that promotes (a specified action or process)
expectorant
2
: one connected with
annuitant
3
: thing acted upon (in a specified manner)
inhalant

-ant

6 of 6

adjective suffix

1
: performing (a specified action) or being (in a specified condition)
somnambulant
2
: promoting (a specified action or process)
expectorant
Phrases
ants in one's pants
: impatience for action or activity : restlessness

Examples of ant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Bugs Even insects get into the cleaning game: Bees and ants remove dead bodies from hives and tunnels – a behavior known as necrophoresis that is done to prevent the spread of disease. Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Bees and ants reproduce quickly–a queen can lay up to thousands of eggs in a day. Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 Now the Water Fund wants to set trees on fire in hard-to-reach ravines starting in July, trusting mice and ants to carry seeds back in. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 The greatest reduction of specimens occurred with spiders, followed by ants and beetles. Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Butterflies that associate with the acacia ants could disappear. Popular Science, 25 Jan. 2024 He's studied the chemical and behavioral defenses of ants, wasps and arachnids. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2024 Harvester ants Medium-size reddish-brown to black ants known for large colonies and seed-harvesting behavior. The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024 Amid the tumult, there are brief, blissfully peaceful shots of ants skittering up and down a wall, and also of a snail slithering across Sol’s open palm. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ante, emete, from Old English æmette; akin to Old High German āmeiza ant

Noun suffix

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from -ant, present participle suffix, from Latin -ant-, -ans, present participle suffix of first conjugation, from -a- (stem vowel of first conjugation) + -nt-, -ns, present participle suffix; akin to Old English -nde, present participle suffix, Greek -nt-, -n, participle suffix

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ant was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ant

Cite this Entry

“Ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ant

1 of 4 noun
ˈant
: any of a family of small insects that are related to the bees and wasps and live in colonies in which different types of individuals perform special duties

ant-

2 of 4
see anti-

-ant

3 of 4 noun suffix
ənt,
ᵊnt
1
: one that performs a specified action
coolant
deodorant
2
: thing that is acted upon in a specified manner
inhalant

-ant

4 of 4 adjective suffix
1
: performing a specified action or being in a specified condition
propellant
2
: causing a specified action or process
Etymology

Noun suffix

derived from Latin -ant (verb or adjective suffix)

More from Merriam-Webster on ant

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