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• caterpillar
  caterpillar

  noun

  the wormlike larva of a butterfly or a moth.
• Caterpillar
  Caterpillar

  a tractor intended for rough terrain, propelled by two endless belts or tracks that pass over a number of wheels.

caterpillar

¹ American  

[kat-uh-pil-er, kat-er-] / ˈkæt əˌpɪl ər, ˈkæt ər- /

noun

• caterpillars
  plural

1. the wormlike larva of a butterfly or a moth.

2. a person who preys on others; extortioner.

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Caterpillar ² American  

[kat-uh-pil-er, kat-er-] / ˈkæt əˌpɪl ər, ˈkæt ər- /

Trademark.

1. a tractor intended for rough terrain, propelled by two endless belts or tracks that pass over a number of wheels.

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caterpillar ¹ British  

/ ˈkætəˌpɪlə /

noun

1. the wormlike larva of butterflies and moths, having numerous pairs of legs and powerful biting jaws. It may be brightly coloured, hairy, or spiny

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Caterpillar ² British  

/ ˈkætəˌpɪlə /

noun

1. an endless track, driven by sprockets or wheels, used to propel a heavy vehicle and enable it to cross soft or uneven ground

2. a vehicle, such as a tractor, tank, bulldozer, etc, driven by such tracks

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caterpillar Scientific  

/ kăt′ər-pĭl′ər /

1. The wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth. Caterpillars have thirteen body segments, with three pairs of stubby legs on the thorax and several on the abdomen, six eyes on each side of the head, and short antennae. Caterpillars feed mostly on foliage and are usually brightly colored. Many have poisonous spines.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• caterpillars
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of caterpillar

1400–50; late Middle English catyrpel, probably alteration of an Old North French variant of Old French chatepelose, equivalent to chate cat ( def. ) + pelose hairy (≪ Latin pilōsus; see pilose); -yr probably by association with cater tomcat ( see caterwaul); final -er probably by association with piller despoiler ( see pillage, -er ¹); cf. chenille

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Explanation

A caterpillar is a fuzzy, worm-like insect that transforms into a butterfly or a moth. Many caterpillars are striped and colorful. A caterpillar is officially the larva, or immature form, of a flying insect — generally, a butterfly. Because caterpillars are growing rapidly, they tend to eat constantly, and for this reason they're considered pests by gardeners and farmers. The word caterpillar comes from the Old North French caterpilose, literally "shaggy cat," from the Late Latin catta, "cat," and pilosus, "hairy" or "shaggy."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

caterpillar Caterpillar caterpillars

Clough said the small skipper needed grass left uncut throughout the year, "because the tiny caterpillar spends the winter inside a grass sheath".

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

At least in the sampled bottles, it was consistently the caterpillar of a single moth species.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 26, 2026

Trefry likened this awkward time of life to the stage in a butterfly’s development when a caterpillar disappears inside a chrysalis and dissolves into goo before reforming into something entirely new.

From Salon ● Nov. 24, 2025

If you’ve ever glimpsed a caterpillar dangling from a branch by a silk thread, they’re on their way down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025

I still would have had a little place inside me to go, a place I could wrap myself in like the cocoon a caterpillar makes.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

Caterpillar and WM built a Wi-Fi network with portable towers that connect the dozer to a command trailer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Caterpillar and John Deere, for example, now may have to violate either U.S. or U.K. law because Israeli companies buy their construction equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

It is home to one of the largest factories outside the U.S. of heavy-equipment giant Caterpillar and a dense network of machinery suppliers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Some officials here say they hope Caterpillar is quietly lobbying Washington for relief.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

“There, Caterpillar, there!” called Chicken, pointing his flashlight.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

In exchange, the ants aggressively protect their host plants from leaf-eating insects such as caterpillars.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Too much bracken inhibits the growth of the dog violet, the food source for the caterpillars.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Julie was raising some caterpillars too, and she cared a lot about them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Gareth Tilley bought a UV torch to try and find the caterpillars in May 2022.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

How exactly did the caterpillars change inside their cocoons?

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman

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