millipede

or mil·le·pede

[ mil-uh-peed ]

noun

1. 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 /

noun

1. 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′ /

1. 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.
2. Compare centipede

Word History and Origins

Origin of millipede¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of millipede¹

C17: from Latin, from mille thousand + pēs foot

Example Sentences

He says that their mention of millipedes will no longer require the line that technically, their name is a misnomer.

From Science News For Students

The leafy bits of bait nabbed a group of eight curiously long, threadlike millipedes from the soil.

From Science News For Students

Researchers nabbed the specimen and seven other curiously long, threadlike millipedes by dropping cups baited with leaf litter into drill holes used for mineral prospecting that were up to 60 meters deep.

From Science News

Yet no millipede with more than 750 legs has ever been found, until now.

From Science News

The unique critter was found deep underground in Western Australia and boasts up to 1,306 legs—more than the paltry 750 legs previously documented in millipedes, or indeed any other animal.

From Popular-Science

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg