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Glite Dictionary
pharaoh ant

pharaoh ant

8.4
A small yellowish-red ant that often lives in houses and is hard to get rid of
  • noun
  • /ˈfɛəroʊ ænt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hormiga faraón
  • The exterminator explained that pharaoh ants can be especially difficult to eliminate from homes.

Examples

  • We discovered a trail of pharaoh ants marching along the kitchen counter.

  • Many pharaoh ants invade homes during summer.

  • Researchers study how pharaoh ants quickly adapt to different household environments.

  • The pharaoh ant is often found in kitchens.

  • The exterminator explained that pharaoh ants can be especially difficult to eliminate from homes.

  • We discovered a trail of pharaoh ants marching along the kitchen counter.

  • Many pharaoh ants invade homes during summer.

Synonyms

pharaoh's ant
vspharaoh ant
  • Specialized
7.9

A small yellow or red ant that lives in houses in warm places and is hard to get rid of

has identical meaning but written without the possessive apostrophe
Monomorium pharaonis
vspharaoh ant
  • Specialized
9.9

A small red ant that often lives in houses and causes pest problems

is the everyday descriptive name rather than the formal scientific term

Surface Forms

pharaoh ant singular
pharaoh ants plural

Morphology

pharaoh + ant

This is a straightforward noun-noun compound: 'pharaoh' modifies 'ant' to name a particular kind of ant. A B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer it denotes a type/species of ant (likely associated with pharaohs/Egypt), even if specific taxonomic details or pest status are not predictable.

Etymology

Pharaoh ant may get its name from old reports of tiny, yellowish ants found in Egypt, so people linked the little ant with the land of the pharaohs. That's why this small house pest is still called the pharaoh ant today.