Illustration of mantis
plural mantises also mantes
ˈman-ˌtēz 
: any of an order or suborder (Mantodea and especially family Mantidae) of large usually green insects that feed on other insects and clasp their prey in forelimbs held up as if in prayer
Examples of mantis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For us, our evening plans were to make the short walk to see the fire-breathing mantis at Downtown Container Park, then head over to Atomic Liquors, which was the first free-standing bar in Las Vegas, for some people-watching, a local brew and the phenomenal pan pizza.
—
Ryan Slattery, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2024
There's a blue morpho butterfly, a Hercules beetle, and a Chinese mantis.
—Patrice J. Williams, Parents, 12 July 2024
Cannibalistic female mantises produce more eggs than mantises who don’t eat their mates, a 2016 research paper concluded.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
And there was a vigorous cat chase at Yankee Stadium in 2021 on the same day that a mantis sat on a player’s head for two innings.
—Victor Mather, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mantis 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ryan Slattery, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2024
There's a blue morpho butterfly, a Hercules beetle, and a Chinese mantis.
—Patrice J. Williams, Parents, 12 July 2024
Cannibalistic female mantises produce more eggs than mantises who don’t eat their mates, a 2016 research paper concluded.
—Ben Guarino, Popular Science, 13 June 2024
And there was a vigorous cat chase at Yankee Stadium in 2021 on the same day that a mantis sat on a player’s head for two innings.
—Victor Mather, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mantis
Dictionary Entries Near mantis
Cite this Entry
“Mantis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mantis. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share