centipede
Americannoun
noun
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Any of various flattened, wormlike arthropods of the class Chilopoda, whose bodies are divided into many segments, each with one pair of legs. The front legs are modified into venomous pincers used to catch prey.
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Compare millipede
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of centipede
From the Latin word centipeda, dating back to 1595–1605. See centi-, -pede
Compare meaning
How does centipede compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A centipede is a poisonous bug with many tiny legs. If you can bring yourself to look closely at a centipede, you'll see its body is divided into segments, each having one pair of legs. Most people assume that centipedes are insects, but they're actually arthropods, tiny invertebrate animals with exoskeletons and segmented bodies — and a seriously squicky number of legs. The profusion of little legs is what gives the centipede its name; the Latin is centipeda, "many-footed arthropod," from centum, "hundred," and pedis, "foot." Despite their name, centipedes can have anywhere from 30 to over 300 legs.
Vocabulary lists containing centipede
Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: cent
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cent (hundred), mill (thousand)
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ped, pod (foot)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As well as his new friends, there was plenty of wildlife to keep him company, including a highly venomous Malaysian Red Centipede which Alfie saw on set, while he also had other animal encounters.
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026
Enjoy a taste of nostalgia with this mini arcade player that includes classic Atari games such as Pong, Asteroids, Breakout and Centipede.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023
Atari’s Centipede is credited with bringing more female players into arcades when it debuted in 1981, challenging players to fire on an insect as it zigzagged down the screen.
From Washington Times • Jun. 18, 2020
There, Rick Fox would pump quarters into video game cabinets for hours, playing Galaga, Space Invaders, Centipede and Ms. Pac-Man.
From Washington Post • Dec. 24, 2018
James decided that this was most certainly not a time to be disagreeable, so he crossed the room to where the Centipede was sitting and knelt down beside him.
From "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
