Myrmecophily
/ˌmɜːr.məˈkɒf.ɪ.li/noun
The association of an organism with ants, often in a mutually beneficial relationship.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek roots used in scientific naming, and it captures a real ecological world where beetles, butterflies, and plants have evolved to live inside ant colonies.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mýrmēx
“ant”
Ancient Greek
Greek
phílos
“dear, loving, fond of”
Late 19th Century
New Latin
myrmecophilia
“the condition of being associated with ants”
Modern Scientific English
English
myrmecophily
“association with ants, especially a symbiotic one”
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