Amazon ant

noun

: an ant of a genus (Polyergus) of slave-making ants of Europe and America which carry away and rear in their own nests the larvae and nymphs of other species

Word History

Etymology

so called from the legend that the Amazons captured children from other tribes and reared them as their own

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Amazon ant was in 1813

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Dictionary Entries Near Amazon ant

Amazona

Amazon ant

Amazonas

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Amazon ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Amazon%20ant. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

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