(n) chiefly nocturnal predacious arthropod having a flattened body of 15 to 173 segments each with a pair of legs, the foremost pair being modified as prehensors
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English (GCIDE) v.0.53 Collaborative International Dictionary (GCIDE)
n. [ L. centipeda; centum a hundred + pes, pedis, foot: cf. F. centipède. ] (Zool.) A species of the Myriapoda; esp. the large, flattened, venomous kinds of the order Chilopoda, found in tropical climates. they are many-jointed, and have a great number of feet. [ Formerly also chi`lioicentiped (&unr_;). ] [ 1913 Webster ]