Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A gressorial and raptorial orthopterous insect of the family Mantidæ; a praying-mantis, camel-insect. or devil's coach-horse: so called from the way in which it rears upon its hind legs.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) A mantis.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A mantis.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Because it rears up when disturbed.

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Examples

  • The mantis is also called a devil-horse, a rear-horse, a camel-cricket, and many other names inspired by its outlandish appearance.

    The Insect Folk Margaret Warner Morley 1890

Comments

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  • See grasper.

    March 16, 2011