pharaoh's ant
- noun
- /ˈfɛroʊz ænt/
- Specialized
:
hormiga faraón
- Pharaoh's ants are particularly difficult to control because they build nests in hidden places.
Examples
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I found a pharaoh's ant in my kitchen.
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A pest control specialist identified the insects as pharaoh's ants after inspecting the apartment.
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The kitchen was infested with pharaoh's ants that seemed impossible to eliminate.
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The pharaoh's ants invaded our pantry last summer.
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Many homeowners struggle to control pharaoh's ants in their kitchens during the summer months.
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The exterminator recommended several methods to eliminate the infestation of pharaoh's ants in the pantry.
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After noticing small yellow insects around the food, they identified them as pharaoh's ants.
Synonyms
A small yellowish-red ant that often lives in houses and is hard to get rid of
A small red ant that often lives in houses and causes pest problems
How Dangerous
Surface Forms
Morphology
pharaoh's + ant
The phrase is compositionally built from 'pharaoh's' + 'ant', so a learner who knows both words will understand it refers to a kind of ant associated (etymologically or by name) with 'pharaoh' or Egypt — the basic referent as a type of ant is derivable. However, the precise lexicalized sense (a specific small yellow/red species and a persistent household pest) cannot be predicted from the constituents alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Pharaoh's ant may come from old reports that these small, pale ants were first noticed near the tombs of pharaohs or in goods that travelled from Egypt. Because they travel easily with people and hide inside buildings, the name pharaoh's ant stuck, and today it means a tiny 'household pest'.