praying mantis
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praying mantis
- /ˈpɹeɪ.ɪŋ ˈmæntɪs/
Where it comes from
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”).
noun praying mantises · praying mantes
- Any of various predatory, cannibalistic insects of the order Mantodea that have a prayer-like stance. Scientists have discovered that female praying mantises who eat their mates after sex produce a greater number of eggs than those who do not, with the bodies of the ill-fated males used to aid their production.
- European mantis: a mantid of the species Mantis religiosa.
- A woman who preys on men (from the idea that female praying mantises eat males after sex).
Translations
Every language
noun any of various predatory insects of the Mantidae family
| Español | mantis religiosa, rezadora, campamocha, cerbatana, mamboretá, santateresa |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 사마귀 samagwi, 당랑 dangnang |
| 日本語 | 螳螂, 蟷螂 |
| 中文 | 螳螂 tángláng, 刀螂 dāolang |
| Português | louva-a-deus, cavalinho-de-deus |
| Français | mante religieuse |
| Deutsch | Gottesanbeterin, Fangschrecke |
| Italiano | mantide religiosa |
| Ελληνικά | αλογάκι της Παναγίας alogáki tis Panagías |
| Română | călugăriță |
| Русский | богомо́л bogomól |
| العربية | فَرَس اَلنَّبِيّ faras an-nabiyy |
| עברית | גְּמַל שְׁלֹמֹה gamál shlomó |
noun any of various predatory insects of the Mantodea order
| 中文 | 螳螂 tángláng |
|---|
noun Mantis religiosa
| Español | mantis religiosa |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 항라사마귀 hangnasamagwi |
| 中文 | 薄翅螳 |
| Français | mante religieuse |
| Deutsch | Europäische Gottesanbeterin |
| Русский | обыкнове́нный богомо́л obyknovénnyj bogomól |
Talk about this word "praying mantis." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/praying%20mantis. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. praying mantis. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/praying%20mantis "praying mantis." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/praying%20mantis.Cite this
@misc{praying_mantis_2026,
title = {praying mantis},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/praying%20mantis},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
