Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

centipede

American  
[sen-tuh-peed] / ˈsɛn təˌpid /

noun

  1. any of numerous predaceous, chiefly nocturnal arthropods constituting the class Chilopoda, having an elongated, flattened body composed of from 15 to 173 segments, each with a pair of legs, the first pair being modified into poison fangs.

centipede British  
/ ˈsɛntɪˌpiːd /

noun

  1. any carnivorous arthropod of the genera Lithobius, Scutigera, etc, having a body of between 15 and 190 segments, each bearing one pair of legs: class Chilopoda See also myriapod

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
centipede Scientific  
/ sĕn′tə-pēd′ /

  1. 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.

  2. Compare millipede

Other Word Forms

  • centipedal adjective

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:

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.

Since replacing windows can cost enough arms and legs to make a human centipede, it’s worth looking into adding interior insulating layers to your existing windows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Machado notes that in arthropods, a group that includes the centipede, maternal care is associated with rough conditions.

From Salon • May 11, 2025

Steve Gregory, who runs the British Myriapod and Isopod Group's recording scheme, said the Scutigera coleoptrata was commonly known as the house centipede.

From BBC • May 10, 2025

The museum’s website lists Prendini as the curator of its spider, scorpion, centipede and millipede collections.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Along about then, I would have shaken hands with a centipede if I had thought that it would help me catch a monkey.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

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.