dady-long-legs

Definition

Noun (plural: daddy-long-legs)
1. A type of spider: "daddy-long-legs" refers to a spider of the family Pholcidae, also known as the cellar spider, characterized by its very long, thin legs and small body.
2. A harvestman: "daddy-long-legs" can also refer to an arachnid of the order Opiliones, which has a similar appearance but is not a true spider, with a single, fused body segment and long, delicate legs.
3. A crane fly: In informal usage, "daddy-long-legs" may refer to a long-legged insect of the family Tipulidae, which resembles a large mosquito but does not bite.

Usage Examples

• (A cellar spider with very long legs.)
• (A harvestman, often mistaken for a spider.)
• (A crane fly, often called a "daddy-long-legs" in British English.)

Advanced Usage

• "Daddy-long-legs" as a collective term: In common speech, "daddy-long-legs" is used loosely for any long-legged, small-bodied arthropod, though biologists distinguish between spiders, harvestmen, and crane flies.

  • Don't worry about that daddy-long-legs; it's not venomous. (Refers to a cellar spider, often thought to be poisonous but harmless to humans.)

• Cultural note: The name "daddy-long-legs" is informal and varies regionally. In the UK, it often refers to crane flies; in the US, it typically refers to cellar spiders or harvestmen.

Variants and Related Words

• Daddy-longlegs (n): an alternative spelling without hyphens.

  • A daddy-longlegs is often found in damp basements. (Same meaning as "daddy-long-legs.")

• Harvestman (n): the scientific term for the arachnid Opiliones.

  • The harvestman is not a true spider, unlike the daddy-long-legs spider. (A specific type of daddy-long-legs.)

Synonyms

• Cellar spider: a common name for the pholcid spider.
• Crane fly: a common name for the tipulid insect.
• Harvestman: a common name for the opilionid arachnid.

Related Idioms

• "Long-legged as a daddy-long-legs": a simile used to describe someone or something with very long, thin legs.
  • The ballerina’s legs were as long and slender as a daddy-long-legs. (Comparing leg length to the arachnid's legs.)

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly associated with "daddy-long-legs" as a noun.