Tarantula definition
Any of various large hairy spiders chiefly of the family Theraphosidae, capable of inflicting a bite that is painful but usually not dangerous to humans.
noun
A large wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula) of southern Europe, once thought to cause tarantism.
noun
A wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula) of S Europe, whose bite was popularly but wrongly supposed to cause tarantism.
noun
Any of numerous large, hairy spiders with a poisonous bite that usually has little effect on warmblooded animals; specif., any of a family (Theraphosidae) found in the SW U.S. and tropical America.
noun
Any of various large hairy spiders chiefly of the family Theraphosidae, capable of inflicting a bite that is painful but usually not dangerous to humans.
noun
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A large wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula) of southern Europe, once thought to cause tarantism.
noun
A species of wolf spider, Lycosa tarentula.
noun
A member of several other groups of spiders, generally characterized by large size, hairiness, or close relation to family Theraphosidae.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
tarantula
Plural:
tarantulae, tarantulasOrigin of tarantula
- Medieval Latin from Old Italian tarantola after Taranto
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Wiktionary