arachnid
[əˈɹæknɪd]
An arachnid is an eight-legged creature that includes spiders and scorpions.
When we talk about something related to arachnids, like their webs or the way they move, we might use this word. For example, if you're reading a book about poisonous insects and it talks about scorpions being arachnids, you can understand why it's interesting that these creatures have eight legs instead of six. If you see a spider building its web in your room, you might call the spider an arachnid because it has those distinctive eight legs. Some people use this word to describe other eight-legged animals too, but spiders and scorpions are usually what come to mind.
How common is "arachnid"?
Word arachnid is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
noun
Any of the eight-legged creatures, including spiders and scorpions, of the class Arachnida.
Real examples of "arachnid" in context
