millipede

or mil·le·pede

[ mil-uh-peed ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

any terrestrial arthropod of the class Diplopoda, having a cylindrical body composed of 20 to more than 100 segments, each with two pairs of legs.

millipede

/ ˈmɪlɪˌpiːd /

any terrestrial herbivorous arthropod of the class Diplopoda, having a cylindrical body made up of many segments, each of which bears two pairs of walking legs See also myriapod

millipede

/ mĭl′ə-pēd′ /

Any of various wormlike arthropods of the class Diplopoda, having a long body composed of many narrow segments, most of which have two pairs of legs. Millipedes feed on plants and, unlike centipedes, do not have venomous pincers.
Compare centipede

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1595–1605; < Latin mīlipeda (Pliny), equivalent to mīli- milli- + -peda, derivative of pēs, stem ped- foot

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C17: from Latin, from mille thousand + pēs foot

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If there is pathos in this, there is bathos in his apostrophe to the millipede, beginning "Poor sowbug!"

The monstrous millipede stood immobile, trapped for the moment by the gratification of all its desires.

The creature was a monstrous millipede, forty feet in length, with features of purest, unadulterated horror.

And this could have been safety for them—save for the giant millipede no more than half a mile below.

The Captain and Murray fell in at the tail of the quivering millipede.

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