Even older -- both come from Latin formica, which also just means "ant."
On the other hand, the plastic called formica, familiar as a countertop surface, has nothing to do with ants but comes from "for mica", for which it was originally developed as a subtitute.
There is also the word "formication": Formication is the sensation that resembles that of small insects crawling on (or under) the skin when there is nothing there.
On the other hand, the plastic called formica, familiar as a countertop surface, has nothing to do with ants but comes from "for mica", for which it was originally developed as a subtitute.