Illustration of trapdoor spider
- trap-door spider
trapdoor spider
noun
variants
or trap-door spider
plural trapdoor spiders or trap-door spiders
: any of various often large burrowing mygalomorph spiders (especially family Ctenizidae) that construct a tubular subterranean silk-lined nest topped with a hinged lid
Trapdoor spiders dig burrows using a spiny rake mounted on their jaws, then line the burrow and the opening with silk.—
Richard Wolkomir and Joyce Wolkomir
Richard Wolkomir and Joyce WolkomirTarantulas, trap-door spiders, and some other species still use their silk mainly for shelter …—Richard Conniff
Richard Conniff
Examples of trapdoor spider in a Sentence
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Trapdoor spiders are generally not known to be harmful to humans, although individuals may react differently when bitten by a trapdoor spider, as with any spider bite, and some may experience more severe reactions.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
These observations add to the limited literature on Bungulla trapdoor spiders.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
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Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
These observations add to the limited literature on Bungulla trapdoor spiders.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trapdoor spider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trapdoor%20spider. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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