'Araneae' originates from New Latin, ultimately from Ancient Greek 'aráchnē' (ἀράχνη), where 'aráchnē' meant 'spider'.

'Araneae' developed from the Latin word 'aranea' (meaning 'spider'), adopted into New Latin as the formal name for the order; this became the modern scientific name 'Araneae'.

Initially, it meant 'spider' (a single spider) or 'spiders' generally in Greek and Latin, but in modern scientific usage it specifically denotes the taxonomic order comprising true spiders.