Meaning
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.
Etymology
Origin: Unknown
From ant + lion. Compare translingual Myrmeleon.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
doodlebug
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026.