Ta-răn′tu-lă, n.

n. [It. tarantola, N. Lat. tarantula, aranea tarantula, Fr. tarentule, from Lat. Tarentum, now Taranto, in the south of Italy.] [Written also tarentula.] (Zoöl.) A species of spider; the Lycosa tarantula. Its bite sometimes produces a trifling effect, about equal to the sting of a wasp, and is popularly supposed to be cured by music.