noun
tarantula
tuh-RAN-chuh-luh/təˈræntʃələ/
A large hairy spider.
The hairy tarantula rests on cork bark with all eight legs visible.
Etymology
Latin tarantula named a wolf spider associated with the region around Taranto. English later applied the name to other large hairy spiders, especially those native to warmer parts of the Americas.
In context
a fall from less than a foot (30.48cm) can mean death for a tarantula, but that’s why they come equipped with retractable claws just like a cat! Tarantulas don’t build webs the same way many spiders might
More examples
- The tarantula hides in its burrow during the day.
- She keeps a tarantula in a glass tank.
- Some tarantulas flick irritating hairs when they feel threatened.
Forms
tarantula · tarantulas