TARAN'TULA, noun A species of spider, the Aranea tarantula so called, it is said, from Tarentum in Apulia, where this animal is mostly found; a venomous insect, whose bite gives name to a new disease, called tarantismus. This is said to be cured by music.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI