Etymology

anteater

A1N1T1E1A1T1E1R1

Today it means: Any of several animals of South and Central America, in the suborder Vermilingua, which are noted for eating ants and termites which they catch with their long sticky tongues, including giant anteater and lesser anteater (also known as collared anteater). Full definition →

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The story

From ant + eater, from their typical diet.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.