chelicera

UK: /kɪˈlɪsərə/ US: (kə lis′ər ə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

che•lic•er•a  (kə lis′ər ə), n., pl. -er•ae 

(-ə rē′). 
1. Invertebrates one member of the first pair of usually pincerlike appendages of spiders and other arachnids. Cf. pedipalp.

• Neo-Latin, equivalent. to cheli- cheli- + Greek kér(as) horn + Latin -a feminine noun, nominal ending
• 1825–35;

che•lic′er•al, adj. 
che•lic•er•ate  (kə lis′ə rāt′, -ər it), adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

chelicera / kɪˈlɪsərə/ noun ( -erae / -əˌriː/)

1. one of a pair of appendages on the head of spiders and other arachnids: often modified as food-catching claws

Etymology: 19th Century: from New Latin, from French chélicère, from chél- see chela¹ + -cère from Greek keras horn