army ant
noun
: any of a subfamily (Dorylinae) of aggressive nomadic tropical ants that prey on insects and spiders
Examples of army ant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ultimately, the researchers say that the species is the second oldest army ant species to be identified, and the first (and only) to be identified in Europe, which was much warmer and wetter 35 million years ago.
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Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022
The outcome is a fascinating visualization of army ant nests and a unique insight into the behaviour behind such complex self-assembly.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2021
Further analysis of its morphological and phylogenetic features revealed that the insect likely lived underground and was a close ancestor of a type of modern army ant from Africa and Asia, known as the Dorylus.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022
To ride their bucking steeds, the beetles rely on a pair of specialized pincers perfect for grasping an army ant's waist.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2017
Or army ants that span gaps on the forest floor by linking their own bodies into bridges.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 July 2017
The fact that army ants don’t always build the distance-minimizing bridge suggests there’s some other factor in their unconscious calculation.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2018
But once in close range, the target is easy to spot: Huge swaths of army ants in search of food for their voracious young sometimes cover the length and almost half the width of a football field.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Apr. 2014
An individual army ant is practically blind and has a minuscule brain that couldn’t begin to fathom their elaborate collective movement.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2018
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Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022
The outcome is a fascinating visualization of army ant nests and a unique insight into the behaviour behind such complex self-assembly.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2021
Further analysis of its morphological and phylogenetic features revealed that the insect likely lived underground and was a close ancestor of a type of modern army ant from Africa and Asia, known as the Dorylus.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022
To ride their bucking steeds, the beetles rely on a pair of specialized pincers perfect for grasping an army ant's waist.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 10 Feb. 2017
Or army ants that span gaps on the forest floor by linking their own bodies into bridges.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 July 2017
The fact that army ants don’t always build the distance-minimizing bridge suggests there’s some other factor in their unconscious calculation.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2018
But once in close range, the target is easy to spot: Huge swaths of army ants in search of food for their voracious young sometimes cover the length and almost half the width of a football field.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Apr. 2014
An individual army ant is practically blind and has a minuscule brain that couldn’t begin to fathom their elaborate collective movement.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2018
See More
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Word History
First Known Use
1863, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near army ant
Cite this Entry
“Army ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/army%20ant. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
army ant
noun
: any of various ants that live in groups, move from place to place in search of food, are found from Mexico to South America, and feed especially on insects and spiders
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about army ant
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