anteater

noun

ant·​eat·​er ˈant-ˌē-tər 

: any of several mammals that feed largely or entirely on ants or termites: such as

a

: any of a family (Myrmecophagidae) of New World edentates with a long narrow snout, a long tongue, and large salivary glands that includes the giant anteater and tamandua

b

: pangolin

c

: echidna

d

: aardvark

Examples of anteater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2024

Despite their physical similarities to pigs and anteaters, Tapirs’ evolutionary lineage is distinct and ancient, having changed very little over the past 20 million years. —Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 4 July 2024

Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Imagine an ancient mammal that looks like a blend of a pig and an anteater but is more closely related to horses and rhinos. —Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 4 July 2024

Like an anteater licking an anthill clean with its long, thin tongue. —Haruki Murakami, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing anteater

• giant anteater
• scaly anteater
• spiny anteater

Kids Definition

anteater

noun

ant·​eat·​er ˈant-ˌēt-ər 

: any of several mammals (as an echidna or aardvark) that feed on ants