anteater meaning and definition

ANTEATER noun

Definition of anteater (noun)

1. toothless mammal of southern Africa and Asia having a body covered with horny scales and a long snout for feeding on ants and termites
   • synonyms: pangolin, scaly anteater
2. any of several tropical American mammals of the family Myrmecophagidae which lack teeth and feed on ants and termites
   • synonyms: New World anteater
3. nocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata
   • synonyms: aardvark, ant bear, Orycteropus afer
4. small Australian marsupial having long snout and strong claws for feeding on termites; nearly extinct
   • synonyms: banded anteater, Myrmecobius fasciatus, numbat
5. a burrowing monotreme mammal covered with spines and having a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites; native to New Guinea
   • synonyms: echidna, spiny anteater
6. a burrowing monotreme mammal covered with spines and having a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites; native to Australia
   • synonyms: echidna, spiny anteater