tarantula

noun

• 1a very large hairy spider found chiefly in tropical and subtropical America, some kinds of which are able to catch small lizards, frogs, and birds. Also called bird-eating spider.

  • Family Theraphosidae, suborder Mygalomorphae

• 2a large black wolf spider of southern Europe, whose bite was formerly believed to cause tarantism.

  • Lycosa tarentula, family Lycosidae