Araneus
/əˈreɪniəs/noun
A genus of orb-weaver spiders, including the European garden spider, Araneus diadematus.
Did you know?The name ultimately connects Araneus with Arachne, the legendary Greek weaver whose skill was so great that Athena transformed her into a spider.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀράχνη (aráchnē)
“Spider; the source of the mythological name Arachne”
Classical Latin
Latin
arānea
“Spider or spider’s web”
Classical Latin
Latin
arāneus
“Of or resembling a spider”
18th Century
Scientific Latin
Araneus
“A taxonomic genus name formed from the Latin word for spider”
Modern English
English
Araneus
“A genus of orb-weaver spiders”
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