Meaning & use
arthropod
Last updated
UK/ˈɑːθrəpɒd/
US/ˈɑːrθrəpɑːd/
Meaning
nouncountablebiology
An animal with a hard outer shell and jointed legs, such as an insect, spider, or crab.
Grammar: Countable: 'an arthropod', 'many arthropods'.
Patterns
- arthropods include insects
- a type of arthropod
Crabs, spiders, and butterflies are all arthropods.
The museum has a large collection of fossil arthropods.
Arthropods make up the largest group of animals on Earth.
Word forms
| plural | arthropods |
|---|
Common combinations
- arthropod species
- Scientists discovered a new arthropod species in the cave.
- arthropod pests
- Farmers use chemicals to control arthropod pests.
- marine arthropods
- Marine arthropods like lobsters live on the ocean floor.
- arthropod exoskeleton
- The arthropod exoskeleton protects the animal's body.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- arthropod adjective
- Used before a noun, as in 'arthropod anatomy'.
- arthropodology noun
- The study of arthropods (rare).
Commonly confused: arthropod or anthropod?
arthropod vs anthropod
A misspelling; the correct spelling is 'arthropod'.
Practice
Which of these is an arthropod?
Choose one answer.
Spiders have jointed legs and an exoskeleton, so they are arthropods. Jellyfish, starfish, and worms belong to other groups.
Make it your own
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