anting

[ an-ting ]

/ ˈæn tɪŋ /

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noun

the placing of ants among the feathers, done by certain birds apparently to kill parasites.

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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of anting

1935–40; ant + -ing¹, as translation of German Einemsen

Words nearby anting

antinationalist, anti-Nazi, antineoplastic, antineutrino, antineutron, anting, antinode, antinoise, antinome, antinomian, antinomianism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use anting in a sentence

Thousands insisted that he must have voluntarily surrendered, for how could he have been caught when he had the anting-anting?
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Their faith in what they call their anting anting16 is unbreakable.
The Katipunan|J. Brecknock Watson (AKA Francis St. Clair)
Piang, we look to you to protect us from Bal-Bal, to you and your sacred anting-anting.
The Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy|Florence Partello Stuart
The Chinese were given until noon on October 13 to give up the Anting gate.
General Gordon|Seton Churchill

Brigands are often captured wearing medallions of the Virgin Mary or the Saints as a device of the anting-anting.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for anting

anting

/ (ˈæntɪŋ) /

noun

the placing or rubbing of ants by birds on their feathers. The body fluids of the ants are thought to repel parasites

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012