Pronunciation: [spˈa͡ɪdə] (IPA) 
The word "spider" is spelled with six letters: s-p-i-d-e-r. Its phonetic transcription in IPA is /ˈspaɪdər/. The first sound, s, is a voiceless alveolar fricative. The second sound, p, is a voiceless bilabial plosive. The third sound, i, is a close front unrounded vowel. The fourth sound, d, is a voiced alveolar plosive. The fifth sound, e, is a close-mid front unrounded vowel. The final sound, r, is a voiced alveolar approximant.
A spider is a type of arachnid, belonging to the order Araneae, characterized by its eight legs and two main body regions – the cephalothorax and the abdomen. These creatures are renowned for their ability to spin silk threads, which they use to construct intricate webs as traps for prey or as shelters. With more than 45,000 known species, spiders are widely distributed all over the world, inhabiting diverse environments ranging from forests and deserts to grasslands and even underwater.
Spiders possess specialized mouthparts called chelicerae which contain venom glands, enabling them to inject venom into their prey to immobilize or kill it. They are highly skilled predators that typically feed on insects and other small creatures, catching them in their webs or ambushing them by stealth. Some spiders may also resort to actively hunting their prey rather than relying solely on webs.
Due to their varied appearances and behaviors, spiders come in an array of sizes, shapes, and colors. While the vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans, a few species possess venom potent enough to cause discomfort or, in rare cases, serious medical complications. Regardless, spiders play a vital role in ecosystems by controlling insect populations and serving as a food source for other animals.
In popular culture, spiders often invoke fear and disgust due to their association with venom and webs. However, they have also been depicted as symbols of patience, creativity, and resourcefulness through various myths, stories, and artistic portrayals.
A well-known insect that spins webs to ensnare its prey.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "spider" has an Old English origin, derived from the Old English word "spīthra", which itself is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "spindro". This, in turn, originates from the Proto-Indo-European root word "*spen", meaning "spinner" or "weaver", which also gave rise to the Latin word "spindula" and the Greek word "arachne" (both meaning "spider"). The term "spider" refers to the eight-legged arachnids known for their ability to spin webs.
