Definition
millepede
noun
- a small arthropod with a long, segmented body and many pairs of legs, typically found in soil and leaf litter
Usage: Also spelled millipede (more common modern spelling); The name derives from Latin for 'thousand feet,' though most species have far fewer legs
Examples
- The gardener found a millepede curled up under the mulch.
- Millepedes are important decomposers in forest ecosystems.
- Unlike centipedes, millepedes are generally harmless and slow-moving.
- The millepede has two pairs of legs on each body segment.
- Children often mistake millepedes for worms when digging in the soil.