tarantula

noun ta·ran·tu·la \ tə-ˈran-chə-lə , -tə-lə ; -ˈranch-lə , -ˈrant- \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Definition of tarantula

plural tarantulas also tarantulae play \tə-ˈran-chə-ˌlē, -tə-ˌlē; -ˈranch-ˌlē, -ˈrant-\

1 : a European wolf spider (Lycosa tarentula) popularly held to be the cause of tarantism

2 : any of various large, hairy, American spiders (family Theraphosidae) that are typically rather sluggish and capable of biting sharply though most forms are not significantly poisonous to humans

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See tarantula defined for kids

Recent Examples of tarantula from the Web

Officers found 41 deceased animals, including rabbits, snakes, hermit crabs, tarantulas, hamsters, mice and fish.

— kaitlyn schwers, kansascity, "Pet store was closed for maintenance. 41 animals were dead inside, Illinois cops say," 30 May 2018
The frame came alive like a giant tarantula, leaving us giddy with the ease of assembly.

— melanie d.g. kaplan, miamiherald, "Camping without the hassle: New service rents you all the gear you need, plus the car | Miami Herald," 26 May 2018
Sea Life Arizona Aquarium This aquarium at Arizona Mills in Tempe has an interactive tide pool, a stingray exhibit, ocean view tunnel and a critter canyon with snakes, tarantulas and tortoises.

— wendy killeen, azcentral, "Indoor playgrounds, trampoline parks and places in Phoenix kids can play and stay cool," 24 May 2018
The expansion also includes a new nocturnal house, with night-loving species like Seba and vampire bats, night monkeys and zebra tarantulas.

— jennifer larino, NOLA.com, "What's a cavy? You can now see 3 of them at the Audubon Zoo," 22 May 2018
Winners, aka those who eat the whole burger, will get a limited-edition tarantula Challenge t-shirt and bask in arachnid, social media glory.

— USA TODAY, "North Carolina burger joint offers burger garnished with chargrilled tarantula," 18 Apr. 2018
Go beyond book learning at the nature center, which has several live critters like snakes, tarantulas and a Gila monster.

— sonja haller, azcentral, "Ultimate Arizona bucket list: 15 things to do in Surprise," 16 Feb. 2015
In the basement, glass cases display trophies and trinkets, including Amazonian spears, a Borneo headhunter’s knife and a tarantula, brought back by the foreign drillers from exotic places.

— claudia capos, BostonGlobe.com, "Black gold fever: Canada celebrates its 160-year oil heritage," 24 Apr. 2018
The exclusive beef burger is topped with gruyere cheese, oven-roasted tarantula, and spicy chili sauce.

— jennifer earl, Fox News, "Tarantula burger special sold at North Carolina restaurant has legs," 13 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of tarantula

Medieval Latin, from Old Italian tarantola, from Taranto

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1561

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

TARANTULA Defined for English Language Learners

tarantula

noun

Definition of tarantula for English Language Learners

: a large, hairy spider that lives in warm regions

TARANTULA Defined for Kids

tarantula

noun ta·ran·tu·la \ tə-ˈran-chə-lə \

Definition of tarantula for Students

: a large hairy spider of warm regions of North and South America whose bite may be painful but is usually not serious to humans except for a few South American species

Medical Dictionary

tarantula

noun ta·ran·tu·la \ tə-ˈranch-(ə-)lə , -ˈrant-ᵊl-ə \

medical Definition of tarantula

plural tarantulas also tarantulae play \-ˈran-chə-ˌlē, -ˈrant-ᵊl-ˌē\

1 : a European spider (Lycosa tarentula of the family Lycosidae) 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