Meaning & use

spider

noun·Everyday

A small eight-legged creature, most kinds of which spin silk webs to catch insects for food.

See it in a sentence

A spider had spun an intricate web across the corner of the porch overnight.

Some people have an intense fear of spiders even though most species are harmless.

A note on using this word

Spiders are arachnids, not insects, since they have eight legs rather than six, a common point of confusion.

Words with a similar meaning

arachnid

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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