praying mantis
/ˈpɹeɪ.ɪŋ ˈmæntɪs/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.06 in modern English
21
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any of various predatory, cannibalistic insects of the order Mantodea that have a prayer-like stance.
noun
European mantis: a mantid of the species Mantis religiosa.
Example Sentences
- "Scientists have discovered that female praying mantises who eat their mates after sex produce a greater number of eggs than those who do not, with the bodies of the ill-fated males used to aid their production."
- "When the female praying mantis is mating, she does not bite the head off the male with one swift snip: she chomps into it, like an apple. It appears to have the texture of a honeydew melon."
Etymology
Mantis from Ancient Greek μάντις (mántis). Named "praying mantis" for their stance, with the forelegs held together in a way that resembles a person praying. Similar designations exist in many European as well as non-European languages. Compare for example French mante religieuse (literally “religious mantis”), German Gottesanbeterin (literally “God-worshipper”), Portuguese louva-a-deus (literally “God-praiser”), Persian آخوندک (âxundak, literally “little cleric”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: μάντις