noun

anteater

ANT-ee-tuh

Anteater (noun) means a long-snouted mammal from Central and South America that uses its sticky tongue to slurp up ants and termites. Example: “The giant anteater can flick its tongue in and out of an ant nest dozens of times a second.”

noun

A long-snouted mammal from Central and South America that uses its sticky tongue to slurp up ants and termites.

"The giant anteater can flick its tongue in and out of an ant nest dozens of times a second."

"A anteater's claws are strong enough to tear open a hardened termite mound."

Loosely, any unrelated animal with a similar ant-eating habit, such as the pangolin, echidna, or aardvark.

"The aardvark is sometimes nicknamed the African anteater, though it is not closely related to true anteaters."

How to use anteater

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn animal built for eating ants and termites, usually with a long snout and sticky tongue.

Word forms

anteaters plural

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The giant _____ can flick its tongue in and out of an ant nest dozens of times a second.

Etymology

A straightforward compound of ant and eater — an animal that eats ants.

Synonyms

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echidna aardvark numbat pangolin ant bear scaly anteater spiny anteater banded anteater

Related words

hedgehog aardvark echidna numbat pangolin

Rhymes for anteater

pater mater eater tater later cater hater Water heater skater grater beater

See all rhymes for anteater →

Frequently asked questions

What does “anteater” mean?

The word “anteater” means a long-snouted mammal from Central and South America that uses its sticky tongue to slurp up ants and termites. In plain terms, an animal built for eating ants and termites, usually with a long snout and sticky tongue.

How do you pronounce “anteater”?

“Anteater” is pronounced ANT-ee-tuh (/ˈæntˌitɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “anteater” in a sentence?

Here is “anteater” used in a sentence: “The giant anteater can flick its tongue in and out of an ant nest dozens of times a second.”

What part of speech is “anteater”?

“Anteater” is a noun.

How many meanings does “anteater” have?

“Anteater” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a long-snouted mammal from Central and South America that uses its sticky tongue to slurp up ants and termites.

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hedgehog aardvark echidna numbat pangolin