Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
myrmecophagous

myrmecophagous

9.9
Feeding mainly on ants
  • adjective
  • /ˌmɜr.mɪ.kəˈfɑː.ɡəs/
  • Specialized
: mirmecófago
  • The myrmecophagous anteater has a long tongue adapted for consuming ants and termites.

Examples

  • Several lizard species exhibit myrmecophagous behavior in arid environments.

  • Many myrmecophagous species thrive in tropical environments.

  • Scientists studied the myrmecophagous habits of the aardvark in the African savanna.

  • The myrmecophagous anteater has a long snout.

  • The myrmecophagous anteater has a long tongue adapted for consuming ants and termites.

  • Scientists studied the myrmecophagous habits of the aardvark in the African savanna.

  • Several lizard species exhibit myrmecophagous behavior in arid environments.

Surface Forms

myrmecophagous positive

Morphology

myrmecophagous = myrmec + phagous

The word is built from specialized Greek combining forms (myrmec- 'ant' + -phagous 'eating') that are not productive or recognizable to average B1 learners, so its meaning is not derivable from familiar English base words.

Etymology

Myrmecophagous comes from Greek parts: myrmeco- meaning 'ant' and -phagous meaning 'eating'. So a myrmecophagous animal is one that eats ants as its main food.