mantis
Origin of praying mantis
so called because the forelegs are often held up and together, suggestive of prayerpraying mantis
pray·ing mantisWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"praying mantis." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 September 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/praying-mantis>.
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praying mantis. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/praying-mantis
praying mantis
noun
A mantis, especially the European species Mantis religiosa, which while at rest folds its front legs as if in prayer.
praying mantis
Mantis religiosa
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"praying mantis." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 September 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/praying-mantis>.
APA Style
praying mantis. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/praying-mantis
Noun
(plural praying mantises or praying mantes)
- Any of various predatory, cannibalistic insects of the family Mantidae that have a prayer-like stance.
- (regional, in Europe) A mantid of the species Mantis religiosa.
Origin
Mantis from Greek μάντις (mántis). Named "praying mantis" for their stance, whith "hands" held together, resembling a person praying.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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Cite this page
MLA Style
"praying mantis." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 September 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/praying-mantis>.
APA Style
praying mantis. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/praying-mantis
