driver ant
1
9.1
- noun
- /ˈdraɪvər ænt/
- South African
:
hormiga legionaria
- In fact, these monstrous insects are males of the common Dorylus driver ants.
Examples
-
The aggressive nature of driver ants makes them formidable predators, often attacking insects larger than themselves.
-
In Africa, large groups of driver ants can overwhelm their prey in a matter of minutes.
-
During the rainy season, colonies of driver ants march together in search of food, leaving a trail of chaos in their wake.
Synonyms
1
6.4
A tropical ant that moves in large groups and hunts other insects
A large, aggressive African ant that moves in huge groups and bites hard
A tropical ant that moves in large swarms to hunt other insects
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'driver' and 'ant' can guess that this refers to an ant associated with driving or movement (an ant that leads or forces others), so there is a partial, compositional cue to mobility or force. However the specific zoological meaning—a large, nomadic, aggressively swarming African species that travels in columns—is not directly derivable from the constituents, so full understanding requires prior exposure.
Etymology
Driver ant gets its name from the way the driver ant moves in long, fast lines that seem to 'drive' other insects and small animals ahead of them. That's why the name describes ants that swarm, push and hunt as they travel.