What does myriapod mean?
A myriapod is any member of Myriapoda, a group of terrestrial arthropods with long, segmented bodies and many pairs of legs. The name combines the Greek roots for “myriad” and “foot,” reflecting the numerous legs associated with these animals. The group includes centipedes, millipedes, pauropods, and symphylans, although the word is not a synonym for any one of those subgroups. Myriapods inhabit places such as forests, gardens, soil, leaf litter, and decaying wood, where many species feed on plant material, small invertebrates, or other organic matter. The term is chiefly used in zoology, ecology, and paleontology; general audiences are more likely to use the names of specific animals. Understanding myriapods is useful because they form a significant part of soil and woodland ecosystems and include some of the most distinctive invertebrates found beneath logs and stones.
nounA myriapod is a terrestrial arthropod belonging to the group Myriapoda, whose members have numerous paired legs and segmented bodies. The group includes centipedes, millipedes, pauropods, and symphylans.
- Any member of Myriapoda, a group of segmented terrestrial arthropods characterized by having many paired legs.
"The scientist examined a small myriapod that had been found beneath a fallen log."
"A myriapod moved cautiously across the damp stones beside the path."
"The study compared the defensive behavior of several myriapod species."
Used when referring to multiple animals in the group.
"Several myriapods were observed beneath the decaying log."
A myriapod is named for what looks like countless feet, although no living species actually has the thousand legs once imagined for the word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does myriapod come from?
The word was formed in the early nineteenth century from Greek myrias, meaning “numberless” or “a great multitude,” and pous, meaning “foot.” It was coined to refer collectively to animals with many feet, later becoming a taxonomic name for the group Myriapoda. The form myriapodous was subsequently derived as an adjective, while myriad continues the same Greek numerical root in English.
Related word forms
How myriapod is actually used
The term is primarily technical and occurs in zoology, ecology, and paleontology. In general discussion, the names of particular groups, such as centipede or millipede, are more common and more precise.