n. Any of various arthropods of the class Diplopoda, having a cylindrical segmented body with two pairs of legs attached to each segment except for the first four thoracic segments, and feeding chiefly on decaying organic matter. Also called diplopod. [Latin mīlipeda, a kind of insect : mīlle, thousand; see gheslo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + pēs, ped-, foot; see ped- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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