ant lion

or ant·li·on

noun

any of several insects belonging to the family Myrmeleontidae, of the order Neuroptera, the larvae of which dig a pit in sand where they lie in wait to prey upon ants or other insects that lose their footing.

Origin of ant lion

First recorded in 1805–15

Words nearby ant lion

ant bear, ant bird, ant cow, ant egg, ant hill, ant lion, ant-, ant-pipit, ant-thrush, ant., anta

British Dictionary definitions for antlion

antlion
/ (ˈæntˌlaɪən) /

noun

Also called: antlion fly any of various neuropterous insects of the family Myrmeleontidae, which typically resemble dragonflies and are most common in tropical regions
Also called (US): doodlebug the larva of this insect, which has very large jaws and buries itself in the sand to await its prey