web
wehb
Web (noun) means a network of fine threads spun by a spider to catch prey. Example: “The spider repaired its torn web before dawn.”
noun
1
A network of fine threads spun by a spider to catch prey.
"The spider repaired its torn web before dawn."
"I walked into a web strung across the garden path."
"A web glistened with dew between the fence posts."
2
The World Wide Web, the network of linked pages accessible over the internet.
"You can find almost any recipe on the web."
"Many small shops now sell their goods over the web."
"She searched the web for reviews before buying."
3
A complex, interconnected network of things or people.
"The investigation uncovered a web of connections between the companies."
"Her family tree was a tangled web of cousins and in-laws."
"He got caught in a web of lies."
4
A membrane of skin joining the toes of certain birds and animals.
"Frogs have a web between their toes that helps them swim."
"The otter's web makes its paws work like paddles."
"A duck's webbed feet have skin stretched between the toes."
How to use web
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA spider's silk network, the internet as a system of linked pages, or figuratively a tangled network of connections or deceit.
Common pairings
spider web
web of lies
surf the web
web browser
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like web.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- webs
- Third person singular
- webs
- Past tense
- webbed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The spider repaired its torn _____ before dawn.
Etymology
From Old English webb, from a Germanic root meaning "to weave" — the same root that gives us "weave" and "waspish" cousins in other languages.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for web
See all rhymes for web →Frequently asked questions
What does “web” mean?
The word “web” means a network of fine threads spun by a spider to catch prey. In plain terms, a spider's silk network, the internet as a system of linked pages, or figuratively a tangled network of connections or deceit.
How do you pronounce “web”?
“Web” is pronounced wehb (/wɛb/ in IPA).
How do you use “web” in a sentence?
Here is “web” used in a sentence: “A web glistened with dew between the fence posts.”
What part of speech is “web”?
“Web” is a noun.
Where does the word “web” come from?
The word “web” comes from Old English. From Old English webb, from a Germanic root meaning "to weave" — the same root that gives us "weave" and "waspish" cousins in other languages.
Is “web” a common word?
“Web” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “web” have?
“Web” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a network of fine threads spun by a spider to catch prey.
What is the difference between a spider's web and the World Wide Web?
A spider's web is the real net of fine silk threads a spider spins to trap prey. The World Wide Web borrows that image as a metaphor: it is the huge network of linked pages on the internet, called a 'web' because the way its pages connect resembles the crisscrossing threads of a spider's web.
What is a spider's web made of?
It is made of silk — a strong, stretchy protein the spider produces inside its body and spins out through nozzles called spinnerets. Some of the threads are coated in glue to trap insects, while others are dry so the spider can walk across its own web without getting stuck.
Why do spiders spin webs?
Mainly to catch food: the sticky threads trap flying and crawling insects, which the spider then wraps and eats. Webs also serve as shelter, protect egg sacs, and act like an early-warning system — vibrations travelling along the silk tell the spider that prey, or danger, has arrived.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include web:
