Illustration of centipede
centipede
noun
cen·ti·pede
ˈsen-tə-ˌpēd 
: any of a class (Chilopoda) of long flattened many-segmented predaceous arthropods with each segment bearing one pair of legs of which the foremost pair is modified into poison fangs
Examples of centipede in a Sentence
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Centipedes Versus Millipedes Most people can’t tell the difference between a centipede and a millipede, another multi-legged creature that needs moisture to thrive.
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Conceived during the final years of the Second World War and known today primarily from a French patent (FR907544), the Train d’Assaut imagined an articulated, multi‑section armored vehicle that moved less like a conventional tank and more like a mechanical centipede.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
The fossil, named Youti yuanshi, provides scientists with insight into one of the earliest ancestors of arthropods, which includes modern-day animals like crabs, lobsters, spiders, insects and centipedes.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Other animals living inside the cave include centipedes, terrestrial isopods (roly-polies), pseudoscorpions, mites, scorpions, and beetles, among others, according to the researchers.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Conceived during the final years of the Second World War and known today primarily from a French patent (FR907544), the Train d’Assaut imagined an articulated, multi‑section armored vehicle that moved less like a conventional tank and more like a mechanical centipede.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
The fossil, named Youti yuanshi, provides scientists with insight into one of the earliest ancestors of arthropods, which includes modern-day animals like crabs, lobsters, spiders, insects and centipedes.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Other animals living inside the cave include centipedes, terrestrial isopods (roly-polies), pseudoscorpions, mites, scorpions, and beetles, among others, according to the researchers.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for centipede
Cite this Entry
“Centipede.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centipede. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
centipede
noun
cen·ti·pede
ˈsent-ə-ˌpēd
: any of a class of long flattened arthropods that have many segments with each segment having one pair of legs except for the first segment which has a pair of poison fangs compare millipede
Etymology
from Latin centipeda "centipede," from centi- "hundred" and -peda, from ped-, pes "foot" — related to pedestrian
Medical Definition
centipede
noun
cen·ti·pede
ˈsent-ə-ˌpēd
: any member of the class Chilopoda of long flattened many-segmented predaceous arthropods with each segment bearing one pair of legs of which the foremost pair is modified into poison fangs
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