wolf spider
C1/C2scientific/technical, educated informal
Definition
Meaning
a type of ground-dwelling spider that hunts prey instead of building webs, typically having good eyesight and carrying eggs in a silk sac.
A common name for spiders in the family Lycosidae, known for their robust build, fast movements, and maternal care (carrying egg sacs and young on their backs). Often found in gardens, fields, and forests worldwide.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Compound noun where 'wolf' metaphorically denotes hunting behaviour. Not a single species but a family of spiders. Often confused with tarantulas or other large hunting spiders by non-experts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both varieties use the same term.
Connotations
Neutral in both, though may evoke mild fear due to size and speed.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties where spider fauna is discussed.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The wolf spider [verb] its prey.A wolf spider can be [adjective].We saw a wolf spider [verb-ing].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly; occasionally used in similes: 'He moved like a wolf spider.'”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in biology, zoology, entomology texts and papers.
Everyday
Used when discussing garden insects, pest control, or encounters with spiders.
Technical
Standard term in arachnology for spiders of family Lycosidae.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The spider will wolf-spider its way across the leaf litter.
American English
- It wolf-spidered its prey with surprising speed.
adverb
British English
- It moved wolf-spiderly across the path.
American English
- He ran wolf-spider quick to catch it.
adjective
British English
- The wolf-spider behaviour is fascinating.
- She has a wolf-spider collection.
American English
- We observed wolf-spider hunting tactics.
- It was a wolf-spider kind of movement.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I saw a big spider in the garden. It was a wolf spider.
- The wolf spider does not make a web.
- A wolf spider hunts its prey on the ground instead of using a web.
- The female wolf spider carries her egg sac attached to her body.
- Unlike web-weavers, the wolf spider relies on its speed and eyesight to ambush insects.
- Several wolf spider species are common in this region, each adapted to different microhabitats.
- The foraging strategy of the wolf spider exemplifies an active hunting morphology, with robust legs and anterior median eyes specialised for stereoscopic vision.
- Lycosid philopatry is less studied than in web-building arachnids, given the wolf spider's nomadic lifestyle.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: WOLF = hunts like a wolf, SPIDER = has eight legs. A wolf spider is a hunting spider.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUNTING IS PREDATION (the spider is metaphorically a wolf in its ecosystem role).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'волк паук'. The correct Russian equivalent is 'паук-волк' (order reversed).
- Not to be confused with 'тарантул' (tarantula), which is a different family.
Common Mistakes
- Misidentifying any large, fast spider as a 'wolf spider'.
- Assuming all wolf spiders are dangerous to humans (most are harmless).
- Spelling as 'wolfspider' (should be two words or hyphenated: wolf-spider).
Practice
Quiz
What is a defining characteristic of a wolf spider?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Most species are not medically significant. Their bite may cause local pain, redness, and swelling, comparable to a bee sting, but serious reactions are extremely rare.
The name comes from their hunting method. Like wolves, they actively pursue and pounce on their prey rather than trapping it in a web.
They are found worldwide in a variety of terrestrial habitats including forests, grasslands, deserts, and suburban gardens. They often live in burrows or under stones and debris.
Look for a robust, hairy body, long legs suited for running, and eye arrangement: they typically have two large forward-facing eyes in the bottom row. Also, females are often seen with a round egg sac attached to their spinnerets or spiderlings on their back.