army ant

noun

: any of a subfamily (Dorylinae) of aggressive nomadic tropical ants that prey on insects and spiders

Examples of army ant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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National Geographic/Jamie Thorpe Director of Photography Alex Jones films army ants and an elephant beetle in Costa Rica. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 2024 Apart from their nasty stings, army ant colonies are often known for their stunning, intricate architectural feats using their own bodies. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023 Further analysis of its morphological and phylogenetic features revealed that the insect likely lived underground and was a close ancestor of a type of modern army ant from Africa and Asia, known as the Dorylus. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of army ant was in 1863

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Cite this Entry

“Army ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/army%20ant. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

army ant

noun
: any of various ants that live in groups, move from place to place in search of food, are found from Mexico to South America, and feed especially on insects and spiders

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