Etymology

praying mantis

Today it means: Any of various predatory, cannibalistic insects of the order Mantodea that have a prayer-like stance. Full definition →

Ancient Greek μάντις
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμάντις
  2. English todaypraying mantis

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”).

Words from the same roots

Ancient Greekμάντις all →

mantis

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.