orb-weaving spider

Meaning

1. 1nouncountablebiology

   A spider that builds a flat, round web with spokes and spiral threads, which it uses to trap flying insects.

   Grammar: A compound noun: an orb-weaving spider, two orb-weaving spiders. It is also written orb weaver.

   Patterns

   • an orb-weaving spider spins a web
   • a species of orb-weaving spider

   An orb-weaving spider had stretched its web between the porch posts overnight.

   The orb-weaving spider repairs its web every morning.

   Most orb-weaving spiders are harmless to people.

Word forms

Common combinations

orb-weaving spider web

Dew made the orb-weaving spider web sparkle in the sunrise.

common orb-weaving spider

The garden spider is a common orb-weaving spider in Europe.

spin a web

The orb-weaving spider can spin a web in under an hour.

golden orb-weaving spider

A golden orb-weaving spider hung in the center of its yellow web.

family of orb-weaving spiders

Araneidae is the family of orb-weaving spiders.

Synonyms and how they differ

orb weaver

Orb weaver is the shorter name for the same spider and is common in books and conversation.

garden spider

Garden spider names one familiar orb weaver, so it is narrower than orb-weaving spider.

araneid

Araneid is the technical term for any spider in the family Araneidae and is used by specialists.

Word family

orb web noun

a round web with spokes and a spiral

orb weaver noun

another name for an orb-weaving spider

Araneidae proper noun

the family of orb-weaving spiders

web noun

the net of silk threads spun by a spider

Commonly confused: orb-weaving spider or cobweb spider? orb-weaving spider or funnel-web spider?

Practice

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