comb-footed spider

noun

: any of a family (Theridiidae) of cosmopolitan spiders that spin irregular, usually netlike webs and have slender legs and a row of comblike bristles on the tarsus of the hind legs which are used to throw silk to ensnare prey

And because black widows are comb-footed spiders (meaning they have rows of tiny spines on the tips of some of their legs), they build tangled webs, which they comb out now and then to trap their prey.

—Nicholas Read, The Vancouver (British Columbia) Sun, 22 Nov. 2008

They say practice makes perfect, and that's a lesson comb-footed spiders have apparently taken to heart: young spiders play at sex before sexual maturity.

—New Scientist, 5 Nov. 2011

called also cobweb weaver

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!