Langimage
English

spider

|spi/der|

A2

🇺🇸

/ˈspaɪdər/

🇬🇧

/ˈspaɪdə/

web-spinning arachnid

Etymology
Etymology Information

'spider' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'spīthra,' where 'spī-' meant 'to spin' and '-thra' was a suffix used for agents.

Historical Evolution

'spīthra' transformed into the Middle English word 'spider,' and eventually became the modern English word 'spider'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'one who spins,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'an arachnid that spins webs.'

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

an eight-legged arachnid known for spinning webs to catch prey.

The spider spun a web in the corner of the room.

Synonyms

Noun 2

a program that systematically browses the World Wide Web, typically for the purpose of Web indexing.

Search engines use spiders to index web pages.

Synonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/21 22:05