1. An insect of the order Mantodea, named for their "prayer-like" stance and so meaning "praying prophet" or "praying diviner". In class, Judy learned about the praying mantis and wondered if it could tell her if she was going to pass her next test!
2. Etymology: mantis comes from the Greek word Mantes for "prophet" or "fortune teller".

It is estimated that there are about 2,300 species of praying mantids world-wide; most are tropical or subtropical, but several species live in temperate climates; such as, that of the northern United States, central Europe, and Siberia.

Some texts refer to the European mantis, or Mantis religiosa, as the most common praying mantis in European countries.