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Definition of giant anteater
giant anteater
Plural:giant anteaters
giant anteater Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
5
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
The largest living species of anteater, a large insectivorous mammal native to the grasslands and rainforests of Central and South America, distinguished by its elongated snout, long tongue, bushy tail, and distinct diagonal black-and-white shoulder stripes.
Example
"During our expedition to the Brazilian Pantanal, we spotted a giant anteater methodically tearing open a termite mound with its powerful front claws."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for giant anteater• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
An English compound noun formed from 'giant' (reflecting its status as the largest extant species in its family) and 'anteater' (referring to its specialized insectivorous diet of ants and termites).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Giant anteater. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/giant anteater