arachnid

noun arach·nid \ ə-ˈrak-nəd , -ˌnid \

|Updated on: 8 Jul 2018

Definition of arachnid

: any of a class (Arachnida) of arthropods comprising chiefly terrestrial invertebrates, including the spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks, and having a segmented body divided into two regions of which the anterior bears four pairs of legs but no antennae

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arachnid

adjective

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Examples of arachnid in a Sentence

Spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks are arachnids.

Recent Examples of arachnid from the Web

Eventually, the team ventures deep underground to find an aggressive arachnid-like boss creature, the Swarm Tyrant.

— patrick shanley, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Anthem' Producer Promises Game Will Offer a "Totally Different Experience" Every Time It's Played," 5 July 2018
The culprit is a small arachnid: the lone star tick.

— thomas leavy, CBS News, "Maine on the lookout for ticks that cause red-meat allergy," 25 June 2018
These are red mites, not a bug, but an arachnid, which makes them related to spiders.

— jo ellen meyers sharp, Indianapolis Star, "The Hoosier Gardener: Tiny mites leave red stains," 15 June 2018
According to the scientist, who specializes in insect identification and systematics, the arachnids are rarely aggressive or dangerous.

— fiza pirani, ajc, "Why you shouldn’t kill that spider in your home," 30 May 2018
Jacob Collins, an employee at Godfrey Marine, said the photogenic arachnid was noticed Tuesday while employees were building a boat.

— justin l. mack, Indianapolis Star, "Here's what that giant, viral Indiana spider actually is," 7 June 2018
In Search of Scorpions event on Friday, June 1, gives locals a chance to look for the arachnids on the park’s trails.

— laura latzko, azcentral, "Experience fishing, archery, mountain biking or scorpion hunting at Arizona parks," 25 May 2018
In addition, researchers vacuumed 15 nests to sample the insects and arachnids nearby.

— laura yan, Popular Mechanics, "Science Says Your Bed Is Dirtier Than a Chimpanzee's," 19 May 2018
Your dream of summer fun may be to get close-up with a Pinkfoot Goliath Tarantula and an eight-inch Emperor Scorpio — both amazing arachnids.

— joan cary, chicagotribune.com, "Get your fill of creepy crawlies at Brookfield Zoo's new exhibit," 13 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arachnid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The term arachnid refers to a class of animals that includes spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks. Most arachnids have a segmented body divided into two regions, with the front part bearing four pairs of legs, but no antennae. They have a hard external skeleton and range in size from the mite, which is 0.003-in (0.08-mm) long, to the 8-in (21-cm) black scorpion of Africa. As arachnids grow, they molt, or shed their skin, several times. Arachnids are primarily carnivorous, but most are unable to digest food internally, instead they inject their prey with digestive fluids, then suck the liquefied remains. Arachnids are found worldwide in nearly every habitat. Some mites and ticks are parasitic and can carry diseases. Venomous spiders and scorpions also may pose a danger to humans, but most arachnids are harmless and prey only on insects.