mygale
/mi.ɡal/feminine
The English word tarantula is translated into French as mygale or tarentule.
Meaning: spider of the family Theraphosidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mygale | /mi.ɡal/ | feminine |
| tarentule | /ta.ʁɑ̃.tyl/ | feminine |
Both terms refer to a spider of the family Theraphosidae.
Which one should you use?
While tarentule is a direct loanword from English, mygale is the more common and standard term used by French speakers to refer to tarantulas.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both tarentule and mygale are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/mi.ɡal/
Did you know?
- The term tarantule is linked to the historical belief in 'tarantism', a dancing mania said to be cured by dancing wildly after a spider bite.
- The word mygale comes from the Ancient Greek mugaléē, which means 'fly-catcher'.
- If you use mygale in a French entomology lab, you will sound like a professional, whereas tarentule sounds more like a term used by a hobbyist or a novelist.
Examples in context
- Préférerais-tu manger une souris ou une tarentule ?Would you rather eat a mouse or a tarantula?Tatoeba #6974021 by Rockaround, translation #1847751 by CK
- Elle fit une embardée pour éviter de heurter une tarentule, grosse comme un gant de base-ball, au milieu de la route.She swerved to avoid hitting a tarantula as big as a catcher's mitt in the middle of the road.Tatoeba #2126524 by sacredceltic, translation #2125827 by halfb1t
- Quelle espèce de mygale as-tu ?What type of tarantula do you have?Tatoeba #4305334 by Adelpa, translation #4301851 by Incursio
- J'ai trouvé une mygale géante dans ma cave !I found a giant tarantula in my basement!
- Mon frère a une tarentule comme animal de compagnie.My brother has a tarantula as a pet.
- J'ai une peur bleue des grosses araignées, surtout des tarentules !I'm terrified of big spiders, especially tarantulas!
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are at a pet store looking at exotic animals.
- GabrielRegarde cette belle mygale !Look at this beautiful tarantula!
- ChloéElle est un peu effrayante, non ?She is a bit scary, isn't she?
- GabrielMais elle est très calme.But she is very calm.
- ChloéJe préfère les papillons.I prefer butterflies.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tarantula” translations and entries mygale, tarentule, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mygale, tarentule, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
