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Glite Dictionary
great anteater

great anteater

6.6
A large furry animal from South America with a long snout and tongue that eats ants
  • noun
  • /ɡreɪt ˈæntiˌtɚ/
translation icon : oso hormiguero
  • The great anteater uses its long tongue to extract ants from their nests.

Examples

  • A great anteater can eat thousands of insects in a single day.

  • The great anteater is native to South America.

  • While hiking in Brazil, we spotted a great anteater moving slowly through the grass.

  • Many great anteaters can be found in Brazil.

  • A great anteater can eat thousands of insects in a single day.

  • The great anteater uses its long tongue to extract ants from their nests.

  • While hiking in Brazil, we spotted a great anteater moving slowly through the grass.

Synonyms

anteater
vsgreat anteater
2 2.0

A mammal from Central and South America with a long snout and tongue that eats ants and termites

is the specific South American species description within that wider group
giant anteater
vsgreat anteater
  • US
3.8

A large mammal from South America with a long tongue and claws that eats ants and termites

is a more general description rather than a formal species name
Myrmecophaga jubata
vsgreat anteater
  • Specialized
9.9

A large South American animal with a very long nose and tongue that eats ants

is the everyday species description rather than the scientific name
tamanoir
vsgreat anteater
9.9

A large hairy animal from South America that eats ants and termites with a long tongue

is the descriptive common phrase rather than this alternate name
ant bear
vsgreat anteater
8.5

A large hairy South American mammal with a long tongue and strong claws for eating ants

focuses on biological identity, not on resemblance or regional naming
New World anteater
vsgreat anteater
  • US
8.4

A tropical American animal with no teeth that eats ants and termites

is narrower, naming this single species rather than the whole family

Surface Forms

great anteater singular
great anteaters plural

Morphology

great + anteater

The sense 'a large anteater' is directly and compositionally derived from 'great' (very large) modifying 'anteater' (an animal that eats ants). This adjective+noun pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The name great anteater paints a clear picture: a very large, shaggy animal with a long snout and tongue that probes ant nests and 'eats ants', so it is literally an ant eater. That's why the name refers to a big mammal famous for feeding on ants and termites.