ant lion

A form of antlion — Any of various species of insects, many of them nocturnal, in the family Myrmeleontidae. The adults superficially resemble the unrelated damselflies. The larvae bury themselves in sand below a cone-shaped pit in which they trap insects such as ants.

Similar
doodlebugantlionantlion fly
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Meanings

nounant lion (plural ant lions)

plural ant lions

  1. alternativeAlternative form of antlion.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe larva of any of several insects

Similar
doodlebugantlion
Broader
larva

nounwinged insect resembling a dragonfly; the larvae (doodlebugs) dig conical pits where they wait to catch e.g. ants

Similar
antlionantlion fly
Broader
neuropteronneuropteranneuropterous insect
Also see
antliondoodlebug

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

ant lion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ant%20lion

MLA

“ant lion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ant%20lion. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ant lion,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ant%20lion.

Source: ant lion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.