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View synonyms for

tarantula

[ tuh-ran-chuh-luh ]

noun

plural tarantulas, tarantulae
  1. any of several large, hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae, as Aphonopelma chalcodes, of the southwestern U.S., having a painful but not highly venomous bite.
  2. any of various related spiders.
  3. a large wolf spider, Lycosa tarantula, of southern Europe, having a bite once thought to be the cause of tarantism.


tarantula

/ əˈæԳʊə /

noun

  1. any of various large hairy mostly tropical spiders of the American family Theraphosidae
  2. a large hairy spider, Lycosa tarentula of S Europe, the bite of which was formerly thought to cause tarantism
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tarantula1

1555–65; < Medieval Latin < Italian tarantola. See Taranto, -ule
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tarantula1

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Old Italian tarantola, from Taranto
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Compare Meanings

How does tarantula compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The South Carolina license plate on the Honda stopped in front of me at a red light, and its silhouette of the state’s signature palm looking regrettably like a tarantula atop a swizzle stick.

From

You can see more of her work on Instagram @tarantula_garden and on her website kimgaeta.com.

From

Only weeks earlier I’d run into a tarantula on the trail’s edge clutching a still-living insect in its long furry arms — several hikers were hovering over it, snapping photos with paparazzi-like fervor.

From

Ferguson explained that his original plan to “go as a family of skeletons” was foiled after his elder son changed his mind “a few times,” eventually settling on going as a tarantula.

From

He also had to carry his deflated kayak through the jungle, watching out for tarantulas, snakes and scorpions, which was "very draining", Ash said.

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TarantoTarantula nebula