centipede
C1Neutral to technical; more common in natural science contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A small, long, thin arthropod with many pairs of legs, typically one per body segment.
Used metaphorically to describe anything with many legs, a segmented structure, or a long, crawling form. Also, a name for certain tools or devices with many moving parts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
From Latin 'centum' (hundred) + 'pes' (foot). The name is hyperbolic; no centipede has exactly 100 legs, but they always have an odd number of pairs, ranging from 15 to 177 pairs.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The creature is referred to identically. In both regions, 'millipede' is a distinct, related creature.
Connotations
Generally negative, associated with fear, disgust, or unwanted pests. In gardening contexts, may be seen as beneficial predators.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties when the topic arises. More frequent in regions with higher humidity and insect life.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
I saw a [ADJ] centipede in the [PLACE].The centipede [VERBed] across the [SURFACE].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To move like a centipede”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in biology, zoology, and entomology papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Used when describing a pest in the home or an encounter during gardening or hiking.
Technical
Used precisely in taxonomy (class Chilopoda) and ecology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- 'To centipede' is not a standard verb.
American English
- 'To centipede' is not a standard verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- 'Centipede-like' legs; the robot had a centipedean form.
American English
- A centipede-inspired robot; the system's centipede-like design.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I saw a centipede in the bathroom.
- It has many legs.
- A small centipede crawled quickly under the stone.
- Centipedes can bite, but it's not usually serious.
- The tropical centipede's venom is potent enough to subdue small prey.
- Gardeners sometimes appreciate centipedes because they eat harmful insects.
- The biomechanics of the centipede's locomotion, with its wave-like leg coordination, is a subject of robotic engineering research.
- Phylogenetic analysis places centipedes (Chilopoda) as a sister group to millipedes within the Myriapoda.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SENTry (CENT-) guarding a PEDEstrian crossing (-PEDE). The sentry has hundreds of little legs.
Conceptual Metaphor
MANY LEGS FOR SPEED/COORDINATION (e.g., 'The production line moved with the coordinated legs of a centipede').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'сороконожка' (millipede). 'Centipede' is 'многоножка' or, more specifically, 'сколопендра' or 'губоногая многоножка'. Millipedes are 'двупарноногие многоножки'.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'centapede', 'centepede'. | Plural: 'centipedes' (regular). | Misidentifying a millipede as a centipede.
Practice
Quiz
What is a key anatomical difference between a centipede and a millipede?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Most species are not seriously dangerous. Their bite can be painful, like a bee sting, and cause swelling, but it is very rarely life-threatening. A few large tropical species have more potent venom.
Centipedes are fast, flattened, carnivorous, and have one pair of legs per segment. Millipedes are slow, cylindrical, herbivorous/detritivorous, and have two pairs of legs per segment.
No centipede has exactly 100 legs. They always have an odd number of leg pairs, ranging from 15 to 177 pairs (30 to 354 legs). The common house centipede has 15 pairs (30 legs).
It is a specific species (Scutigera coleoptrata) within the centipede class. It has very long legs and is commonly found indoors in many parts of the world, where it preys on other insects.