Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
spiny anteater

spiny anteater

9.5
A mammal that digs burrows, lays eggs, has sharp spines, and eats ants and termites
  • noun
  • /ˈspaɪni ˈæntiˌtɚ/
  • Australian
translation icon : anteater espinoso
  • The spiny anteater uses its long snout to dig for ants in the ground.

Examples

  • Native to Australia, the spiny anteater is known for its unique spines and egg-laying behavior.

  • My favorite animal at the zoo is the spiny anteater, which has a fascinating method of feeding.

  • You probably heard on the news talk about this spiny anteater that has some viruses that are similar.

Synonyms

echidna
vsspiny anteater
  • Australian
2 9.9

A small spiny mammal from Australia and New Guinea that lays eggs and eats ants

is the same animal but referred to by a different common name

Surface Forms

spiny anteater singular
spiny anteaters plural

Morphology

spiny + anteater

The meaning is directly built from the adjective + noun combination: 'spiny' (having sharp points) modifies 'anteater' (a mammal that eats ants), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer an anteater that has spines. This adjective–noun compositional pattern is common across languages and follows standard English noun modification, making the expression immediately comprehensible.

Etymology

Spiny anteater is a name for a small animal with sharp spines and a long snout that it uses to eat ants. It lays eggs and is also called 'echidna'. Because of the spines and ant-eating, the words spiny and anteater make a clear picture that explains the name.