Pharaoh ant

or Pharaoh's ant

noun

1. a red or yellow ant, Monomorium pharaonis, introduced from Europe into North America: a common household pest.

Pharaoh ant

noun

1. a small yellowish-red ant, Monomorium pharaonis, of warm regions: accidentally introduced into many countries, infesting heated buildings

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pharaoh ant¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Luigi Pontieri of the Centre for Social Evolution at Copenhagen University and his colleagues study the pharaoh ant, a tiny, highly successful invasive species that originated in Southeast Asia but in three centuries of piggybacking on human activity has managed to colonize the world.

From New York Times