Arachne
/əˈrækni/noun
A figure in Greek mythology who was transformed into a spider after challenging Athena in a weaving contest.
Did you know?In Ovid’s *Metamorphoses*, Arachne’s transformation into a spider links her name directly to the scientific word family behind modern arachnids.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀράχνη (Aráchnē)
“Arachne, literally associated with a spider”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Greek
ἀράχνη (arákhnē)
“Spider or spider-like creature”
8 CE
Latin
Arachne
“The mythological weaver transformed into a spider, as described by Ovid”
17th Century
New Latin
Arachnida
“The zoological class containing spiders and related animals”
Modern English
English
Arachne
“The mythological figure; also used in names connected with spiders”
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