Ant

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ænt/

Definitions

1. A tiny insect that forms large communities and works collectively for survival
2. A small, eusocial organism recognized for its complex social structures and division of labor among its groups
3. A tiny insect known for living in large organized colonies ; an individual that plays a role within a structured social group

Etymology: The ant is one of the few English words whose ancestors were named for cutting. Old English "ǣmette" and its relatives had a stem that likely derives from a Germanic root meaning "to cut," so the insect was apparently named for its habit of biting or nipping. The word that became "ant" was once a close neighbour of "emmet," an older dialect word for the same insect that survives in some regions, and the two are related. The Old English form was spelled in many ways over the centuries, including "amete," "emote," and "empt," before settling into the single short word used today. Its relatives across Germanic languages show the same pattern: Dutch "emt," German "Ameise," and Yiddish "ameyze" all descend from the same ancient stem.

Synonyms: insect, bug, creature, pest, worker