black widow

black widow

n.

A poisonous New World spider (Latrodectus mactans), the female of which produces extremely toxic venom and has a black shiny body with red markings.

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[From the fact that the female eats its mate.]

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black widow

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) an American spider, Latrodectus mactans, the female of which is black with red markings, highly venomous, and commonly eats its mate

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

black widow - venomous New World spider; the female is black with an hourglass-shaped red mark on the underside of the abdomen Latrodectus mactans spider - predatory arachnid with eight legs, two poison fangs, two feelers, and usually two silk-spinning organs at the back end of the body; they spin silk to make cocoons for eggs or traps for prey genus Latrodectus, Latrodectus - venomous spiders