tarantula

American  

[tuh-ran-chuh-luh] / təˈræn tʃə lə /

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.

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tarantula British  

/ təˈræntjʊlə /

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

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Etymology

Origin of tarantula

1555–65; < Medieval Latin < Italian tarantola. See Taranto, -ule

Compare meaning

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

• wolf spider vs. tarantula

Example Sentences

In contrast, some parts of the tarantula feel almost like sable fur.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

A tarantula love act begins with a courtship ritual.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

A tarantula at the museum named Taco, recently brought out for educational purposes, initiated the behavior after gamely posing for the cameras for a while.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2025

One indicator of a possible tarantula sighting is a Tarantula hawk wasp buzzing around.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

“Listen, we’re going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan’s got a giant tarantula down there.”

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling