Well attestedNamed from the place
tarantula
noun · first attested 16th century
The spider is named for Taranto.
A large, hairy spider; originally a wolf spider of southern Italy.
Record
- Relationship
- Named from the place
- Confidence
- Well attestedThe place link is the standard scholarly account.
- Attested
- 16th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
Taranto
- Step 2
tarantola
- In English
tarantula
Italian tarantola names the wolf spider associated with Taranto. Folk belief tied its bite to tarantism and the tarantella. English tarantula later spread to large New World spiders that are not the original animal.
Also pinned to Taranto
1 more from the same place
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