pismire

pismire
/pis"muyeur', piz"-/, n.
an ant.
[1350-1400; ME pissemyre, equiv. to pisse to urinate + obs. mire ant, perh. < Scand (cf. Dan myre, Sw myra), c. D mier; pejorative name from stench of formic acid proper to ants]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Pismire — can refer to:* Pismire Island in Lake Michigan * Archaic term for an ant …   Wikipedia

  • Pismire — Pis mire, n. [Piss + mire; so called because it discharges a moisture vulgarly considered urine. See {Mire} an ant.] (Zo[ o]l.) An ant, or emmet. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pismire — (n.) late 14c., from pyss urine (said to be in reference to the acrid smell of an anthill) + mire an ant, probably from O.N. maurr ant, perhaps distantly connected with Gk. myrmex, L. formica ant. Cf. pissant, also early Du. mierseycke (from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • pismire — [pis′mīr΄, piz′mīr΄] n. [ME pissemire < pisse, urine + mire, ant (< Scand, as in Dan myre, Swed myra < IE base * morwi , ant > L formica): from the odor of formic acid, discharged by ants] Archaic an ant …   English World dictionary

  • Pismire Island — is a small island in Lake Michigan of approximately 2.5 acres (0.01 km²) in size. It is part of the Beaver Island archipelago, the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and the Michigan Islands Wilderness Area. It is managed by the U.S. Fish …   Wikipedia

  • pismire — noun Etymology: Middle English pissemire, from pisse urine + mire ant, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse maurr ant; akin to Latin formica ant, Greek myrmēx Date: 14th century ant …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pismire — noun /ˈpɪsmaɪə/ An ant …   Wiktionary

  • pismire — pɪzmaɪə(r) / pɪs n. ant, type of small insect that lives in large colonies …   English contemporary dictionary

  • pismire — [ pɪsmʌɪə] noun archaic an ant. Origin ME: from piss (alluding to the smell of an anthill) + obs. mire ant …   English new terms dictionary

  • pismire — n. Ant, emmet …   New dictionary of synonyms

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