hexapod

hexapod

English

WOTD – 5 December 2011

Etymology

From hexa- +‎ -pod, from Ancient Greek ἑξαποδ- (hexapod-), oblique stem of ἑξάπους (hexápous, “six-footed”), from ἑξα- (hexa-, “six”) +‎ πούς (poús, “foot”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛk.sə.pɒd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛk.sə.pɑd/

Noun

hexapod (plural hexapods)

1. Any organism or being with six legs.
   • 1983, Jean-Marc Lofficier, The Doctor Who Programme Guide, volume 2, page 8:

     My lips will be even more firmly sealed about the various suggestions put forward concerning the interpersonal relationships of Alpha Centauri, the hermaphrodite hexapod.

   • 2000, Alan Dean Foster, A Triumph of Souls

     The bizarre hexapods did indeed feed upon those unfortunate creatures who had been caught and killed by the flames. But the striped carnivores were not scavengers; They were hunters.

   • 2007, Gaurav Suhas Sukhatme, Stefan Schaal, Wolfram Burgard (eds.), Robotics: Science and Systems II, page 97

     These concepts are applied to a robotic hexapod, which, through the use of compliant microspines on its feet, is capable of climbing hard vertical textured surfaces, such as stucco

2. An arthropod with six feet; a member of subphylum Hexapoda.
3. (dated) An insect.

Related terms

• decapod
• isopod
• octopod
• tetrapod

Translations

organism or being with six legs

Catalan: hexàpode m Finnish: kuusijalkainen German: Sechsfüßler m Polish: sześcionóg

Russian: шестиногий (ru) (šestinogij) Spanish: hexápodo m Swedish: sexbening

arthropod with six feet

Catalan: hexàpode m Finnish: kuusijalkainen German: Sechsfüßler m

Polish: sześcionóg Spanish: hexápodo m Swedish: sexfoting (sv) c

insect — see insect

Adjective

hexapod (not comparable)

1. Having six feet, six-footed; belonging to the subphylum Hexapoda, hexapodous.