daddy longlegs

noun
/ˈdædɪ ˈlɒŋ(ɡ)lɛɡz/UK

Etymology

From daddy + longlegs. First attested in 1810s. Preceded by father longlegs, attested from 1740s.

Definitions

  1. The cranefly

    The cranefly; any insect of the suborder Tipulomorpha.

    • Daddy longlegs adults are weak flyers, falling onto the water surface in the lightest of breezes, and even on calm days.
  2. Any (non-spider) arachnid of the order Opiliones, mostly with long thin legs.

    • Unlike spiders, daddy longlegs do not have a clearly marked division between thorax and abdomen. They are further distinguished from spiders in that they do not produce venom or silk.
    • Daddy longlegs aren′t even really spiders.
  3. The daddy long-legs spider, any spider of the family Pholcidae.

    • Another spider neighbor that is commonly found in homes is the daddy longlegs. The daddy longlegs is often called a cellar spider.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for daddy longlegs. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA