Araneidae

plural noun

Ar·​a·​ne·​i·​dae ¦a-rə-¦nē-ə-ˌdē 

: a family of spiders (order Araneae synonym Araneida) comprising the orb weavers

Spiders of the family Araneidae build the familiar orb webs that are composed of a long thread of sticky silk laid in a spiral pattern on a frame of nonsticky threads.

—Robert E. Ricklefs and Gary L. Miller, Ecology, 2000

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from Araneus araneus + -idae -idae

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

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