mantis

[ man-tis ]

noun

, plural man·tis·es, man·tes [man, -teez].

1. any of several predaceous insects of the order Mantidae, having a long prothorax and typically holding the forelegs in an upraised position as if in prayer.

mantis

/ ˈmæntɪs /

noun

1. any carnivorous typically green insect of the family Mantidae, of warm and tropical regions, having a long body and large eyes and resting with the first pair of legs raised as if in prayer: order Dictyoptera Also calledpraying mantis See also cockroach

Word History and Origins

Origin of mantis¹

1650–60; < New Latin < Greek mántis prophet, kind of insect; akin to mania

Word History and Origins

Origin of mantis¹

C17: New Latin, from Greek: prophet, alluding to its praying posture

Example Sentences

He was also passionate about his niche insect hobby, raising rare praying mantises.

From Los Angeles Times

And there was a vigorous cat chase at Yankee Stadium in 2021 on the same day that a mantis sat on a player’s head for two innings.

From Seattle Times

"In natural fights, we see mantis shrimp coil their tails in front of their bodies like a shield. I wanted to know how this behavioral use of the tail changed how they receive impacts."

From Science Daily

The mantises can control their flight and travel up to 8 meters, researchers report this week in Current Biology.

From Science Magazine

When a prey insect buzzes by to look for nectar, the mantis rapidly strikes.

From Science Magazine