praying mantis

noun

: mantis

especially : a European mantis (Mantis religiosa) that has been introduced into the U.S.

called also praying mantid

Examples of praying mantis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One window has a 10-foot-tall praying mantis covered in rhinestones, among what’s really a flourish of oversize birds, butterflies and bugs. —David Moin, WWD, 20 Dec. 2024

Props to whoever pitched the idea of performing in oversize bug costumes to Weezer, and props to the band for enthusiastically agreeing, because when that camera zooms in on drummer Patrick Wilson hitting a snare while dressed as a praying mantis? —Marah Eakin, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2024

Jenny Read used to study praying mantis vision at Newcastle University—one time fitting tiny 3D glasses to the insects to figure out how their vision differed from our own—and whether understanding insect vision could lead us toward more efficient ways of building robotic vision. —Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 2 Oct. 2024

The bees, the beetles, even the cute praying mantis that when hatching looks like the coming of the zombie apocalypse and that bites off the heads of their mates ... —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

praying mantis

noun

: mantis

especially : a European mantis that is now found in the U.S.