Tarantula

Quick meaning: Tarantula is a noun meaning Any of the large, hairy New World spiders comprising the family Theraphosidae.

Meaning

Any of the large, hairy New World spiders comprising the family Theraphosidae.

More Meanings

1. (by extension) A member of certain other groups of spiders, generally characterized by large size, hairiness, or membership of infraorder Mygalomorphae to which Theraphosidae family also belongs.
2. (dated) A species of wolf spider, Lycosa tarantula, native to southern Europe, the mildly poisonous bite of which was once thought to cause an extreme urge to dance (tarantism).

Example Sentences

Cockroaches, centipedes, tarantulas, scorpions, and mosquitoes are abundant in summer. [...] Tarantulas and scorpions are little noticed by those who have been there any length of time.

Visitors to Southern Arizona find the privacy of their homes invaded in a delightfully free and easy way by the original settlers of that region, namely the scorpions, centipedes, tarantulas, etc. [...]

However, spider enthusiasts sometimes flock to the grassy region in hopes of spotting a tarantula or capturing one to keep as a pet. […] Padilla added that while the tarantulas may give some the creeps, they munch on things that humans often consider pests, including cockroaches, beetles and other insects.

Clarabelle is a pinktoe tarantula—one of the very first tarantulas described by Western scientists. The gentle pinktoes were originally tree-dwelling forest tarantulas, but these days they're happy to build their silky retreats in the eaves of houses, in shrubs, and in the tube-like curves of pineapple leaves on plantations, too.

Word Forms

• tarantulas
• tarantulae
• tarentula

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include theraphosine, spider, tickspider.

Related Dictionary Tools