pismire

Etymology

From Middle English pissemyre, equivalent to piss + mire (“ant”). So called due to the smell of anthills. Compare pissant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɪsmaɪə(ɹ)/

Noun

pismire (plural pismires)

1. (Britain, Ireland) An ant.
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Summoner's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales:

     He is as angry as a pissemyre, / Þogh þat he have al þat he kan desire […]

   • 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus, Folio Society (2007), page 189:

     Much there is not of wonder in the confused Houses of Pismires, though much in their busie life and actions […]

   • 1993, Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford:

     We are scurrying emmets or pismires with our sad little comedies.

Anagrams

• impires