Arthropod
/ˈɑːr.θrəˌpɑːd/noun
An invertebrate animal with a segmented body, jointed limbs, and an exoskeleton.
Did you know?The term was coined in modern scientific Latin from Greek roots, and its “jointed” idea comes from the same ancient root behind words like *arthritis* and *arthritic*—painful joints turned into a zoological category.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*er-
“to fit together, join”
Ancient Greek
Greek
árthron (ἄρθρον)
“joint, articulation”
Ancient Greek
Greek
poús, podós (πούς, ποδός)
“foot”
19th Century
English
arthropode / Arthropoda
“a scientific term for animals with jointed feet or limbs”
Modern English
English
arthropod
“an invertebrate animal with jointed limbs and an exoskeleton”
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