arachnid

[ uh-rak-nid ]

noun

1. any wingless, carnivorous arthropod of the class Arachnida, including spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks, and daddy-longlegs, having a body divided into two parts, the cephalothorax and the abdomen, and having eight appendages and no antennae. Compare insect.

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the arachnids.

arachnid

/ əˈræknɪd /

noun

1. any terrestrial chelicerate arthropod of the class Arachnida, characterized by simple eyes and four pairs of legs. The group includes the spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, and harvestmen

arachnid

/ ə-răk′nĭd /

1. Any of various arthropods of the class Arachnida, such as spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks. Arthropods are characterized by four pairs of segmented legs and a body that is divided into two regions, the cephalothorax and the abdomen.

Derived Forms

• aˈrachnidan, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• a·rach·ni·dan [uh, -, rak, -ni-d, uh, n], adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of arachnid¹

1865–70; < New Latin Arachnida < Greek aráchn ( ē ) spider, spider's web + New Latin -ida -ida

Word History and Origins

Origin of arachnid¹

C19: from New Latin Arachnida, from Greek arakhnē spider

Example Sentences

That includes the millions of species of insects, arachnids, and nematode worms that make up a major animal group called the Ecdysozoa.

From Science Daily

For Waterhouse, the discovery of the arachnid wasn’t just throwaway internet fodder — it became a metaphor for her own memoir and, in turn, “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin,” due Sept. 13 on Sub Pop.

From Los Angeles Times

The early worm gets the arachnid, fossil research by an Oregon State University scientist has shown.

From Science Daily

Whatever its evolutionary affinities, these spiny arachnids appear to come from a time when arachnids were experimenting with a range of different body plans.

From Science Daily

Ticks are small, eight-legged bloodsucking parasites — arachnids, not insects — that feed on animals and sometimes people.

From Seattle Times