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Webster 1913 Edition
Mantis
‖
Man′tis
,Noun.
[NL., fr. Gr. [GREEK] a prophet.]
(Zool.)
Any one of numerous species of voracious orthopterous insects of the genus
Mantis
, and allied genera. They are predacious long-bodied large-eyed insects of warm regions, are remarkable for their slender grotesque forms, and for holding their stout anterior legs in a manner suggesting hands folded in prayer. The common American species is Mantis Carolina
. Mantis shrimp
. (Zool.)
The
Squilla
, a tropical marine burrowing crustacean with large grasping appendages. Also called mantis crab
and mantis prawn
.