Main Entry: ta·ran·tu·la

Pronunciation: \tə-ˈran-chə-lə, -tə-lə; -ˈranch-lə, -ˈrant-\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural ta·ran·tu·las also ta·ran·tu·lae \-ˌlē\

Etymology: Medieval Latin, from Old Italian tarantola, from Taranto

Date: 1561

1 : a European wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula) popularly held to be the cause of tarantism
2 : any of a family (Theraphosidae) of large hairy American spiders that are typically rather sluggish and capable of biting sharply though most forms are not significantly poisonous to humans