arachnoid

Meanings

1. Relating to or resembling spider webs; covered with or composed of soft loose hairs or fibers.
2. Relating to the arachnoid mater.

1. Ellipsis of arachnoid mater.
2. A round network of fractures in the crust of Venus.

1. Relating to or resembling spiders.

1. An arachnid.

Etymology

Mid 18th century borrowing from New Latin arachnoīdēs, from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ρᾰχνοειδής (ărăkhnoeidḗs, “like a cobweb”), from ᾰ̓ρᾰ́χνη (ărắkhnē, “spider web”) + -ο- (-o-) + -ειδής (-eidḗs, “-oid, -like”). By surface analysis, arachn- + -oid.