ant Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
pismire; emmet.

OE. ante, amete, emete, AS. æmete akin to G. ameise. Cf. Emmet.

(Zoöl.) A hymenopterous insect of the Linnæan genus Formica, which is now made a family of several genera; an emmet; a pismire. ✍ Among ants, as among bees, there are neuter or working ants, besides the males and females; the former are without wings. Ants live together in swarms, usually raising hillocks of earth, variously chambered within, where they maintain a perfect system of order, store their provisions, and nurture their young. There are many species, with diverse habits, as agricultural ants, carpenter ants, honey ants, foraging ants, amazon ants, etc. The white ants or Termites belong to the Neuroptera.