English Explanatory Dictionary

caterpillar

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
  2. A vehicle with a caterpillar track; a crawler.
  3. A set of subtrees of a tree.
  4. A rapacious, extortionate person preying upon the community.
verb
  1. To move along slowly, drawing one's body up, in the manner of a caterpillar.

Pronunciation

/ˈkætəˌpɪlə/ /ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/ /ˈkætəˌpɪlɚ/ en-us-caterpillar.ogg

Word forms

caterpillar caterpillars caterpiller caterpillaring caterpillared

Etymology

From Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably from Old Northern French catepeluse (Modern French chatte + pileuse (“hairy cat”)), from Late Latin catta + pilōsa. The sense "rapacious, extortionate person" arose by association with obsolete piller (“plunderer”). See Modern Norman cattepeleuse. Displaced native kaleworm, from Middle English cowle worm, cale worme (“caterpillar, corn weevil”), from Old English cawelwyrm, cawelwurm (“caterpillar”).

Related words

pillar

Derived words

alfalfa caterpillar caterpillar catcher Caterpillar Club caterpillar eater caterpillared caterpillar fungus caterpillar hunter caterpillarization caterpillarize caterpillarlike caterpillar roll caterpillar searcher caterpillar skiing caterpillar track caterpillar tree Christmas caterpillar eastern tent caterpillar forest caterpillar hunter hog caterpillar looper caterpillar monarch caterpillar Polyphemus caterpillar processionary caterpillar pseudocaterpillar puss caterpillar red-humped caterpillar saddleback caterpillar salt-marsh caterpillar sea caterpillar slug caterpillar tent caterpillar vegetable caterpillar woolly bear caterpillar zebra caterpillar
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