ant

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Ant, termite, and bee all name insects that can live in groups, but they suggest different animals and different jobs in a sentence. An ant is the small insect learners often picture walking in lines, carrying food, or building a nest in the ground. A termite also lives in a colony, but it is especially linked with wood and damage to houses. A bee is more strongly connected with flowers, flying, and honey. Insect is the broad class word, so it is useful when the exact kind does not matter. You can say 'Ants covered the picnic cloth,' but 'Insects covered the picnic cloth' sounds less exact.

Common collocations

Etymology

From Old English forms such as 'ǣmette', later shortened in Middle English until the modern form 'ant' became usual. Related forms appear in other older Germanic languages, showing that this is a very old everyday insect word in English.