n, pl  -las  also  -lae   1  :  a European spider (Lycosa tarentula of the family Lycosidae) popularly held to be the cause of tarantism  2  :  any of a family (Theraphosidae) of large hairy American spiders that are typically rather sluggish and capable of biting sharply though most forms are not significantly poisonous to humans .
 
   
 
Similar sounding terms:  Tren·tal 
 
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