Mantis or Mantid

[thesexymantisboy]

This is probably going to sound really stupid, but i was just wondering. Is the proper term mantid or mantis? Thanks

 

[Rick]

Mantis for one or mantids for more than one.

 

[OGIGA]

Mantises for more than one is also proper. Some prefer to say mantis, some prefer to say mantid. Umm, this spell check on Firefox just told me that "mantid" is spelled wrong.

 

[MantidLord]

Mantises for more than one is also proper. Some prefer to say mantis, some prefer to say mantid. Umm, this spell check on Firefox just told me that "mantid" is spelled wrong.

Don't worry, my spellcheck does the same from Microsoft word 07, I just add it to the dictionary. Mantid/s is a word though (I hope).

 

[macro junkie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praying_mantis

The insect order Mantodea or mantises consists of approximately 2,300 species worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats, of which a majority are in the family Mantidae. For most of the past century, only this single family was recognized within the order, and the term "mantid" was therefore historically used for any member of the order;

i use mantid..sounds better

 

[OGIGA]

haha, I think mantis sounds better

 

[macro junkie]

haha, I think mantis sounds better

try telling somone u have 4 mantises..lol..it dont sound right..then say 4 mantids.. sounds 10x better. imo

 

[MantidLord]

I agree with MJ. I though mantises wasn't even a real term, but whatever. But I don't trust Wikipedia, unless I know who typed up the stuff. So using that isn't a very trustworthy link

 

[OGIGA]

Darn... well, I still think mantids sound weird (and darn Firefox still thinks it's wrong) and mantises sound normal. Haha. I'd feel all weird if I say I have a mantid.

 

[pedro92]

I say i have 1 mantis or 4 mantids.... mantises is not a plural word i think. It does not sound right

 

[ABbuggin]

I say i have 1 mantis or 4 mantids.... mantises is not a plural word i think. It does not sound right

I use the terms, "mantid" or "mantids" as well. I think it sounds better that way.

 

[OGIGA]

You guys trust Merriam-Webster, right?

Main Entry:man·tis Listen to the pronunciation of mantis

Pronunciation:

\ˈman-təs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural man·tis·es also man·tes Listen to the pronunciation of mantes \ˈman-ˌtēz\

Etymology:

New Latin, from Greek, literally, diviner, prophet; akin to Greek mainesthai to be mad — more at mania

Date:

1646

: any of an order or suborder (Mantodea and especially family Mantidae) of large usually green insects that feed on other insects and clasp their prey in forelimbs held up as if in prayer

 

[OGIGA]

Oh yeah, and they didn't say that there's a plural for mantid.

Main Entry:man·tid Listen to the pronunciation of mantid

Pronunciation:

\ˈman-təd\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

New Latin Mantidae, group name, from Mantis, genus name

Date:

1895

 

[Rob Byatt]

Mantises is incorrect. Never use this word Do not believe Wikipedia, it's like swearing at a real encyclopedia

Plural - mantids

Singular - mantid or mantis

 

[Rob Byatt]

...

 

[Orin]

I go for mantis singular and mantids plural. The real story is sort of interesting. The original term is mantis and mantises. However, when someone decided they'd pull the mantids from the order Orthoptera they also decided it would now be mantid and no longer mantis (making the word mantis only acceptable for a single species, M.religiosa and no longer an 'acceptable' term for any other mantids) this is what happens when taxonomists try to dictate common names and change them with the whims of redesignation. The most annoying part is the Mantispidae (mantis flies) supposedly can no longer be called that but rather mantid flies but the order spelling is not MantiDpidae. No follow through.

 

[OGIGA]

Mantises is incorrect. Never use this word Do not believe Wikipedia, it's like swearing at a real encyclopedia Plural - mantids

Singular - mantid or mantis

What about Merriam Webster????