caterpillar

¹

[kat-uh-pil-er, kat-er-]

noun

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

2. a person who preys on others; extortioner.

Caterpillar

²

[kat-uh-pil-er, kat-er-]

Trademark.

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

Caterpillar

¹

/ 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

caterpillar

²

/ 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

caterpillar

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of caterpillar¹

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; pilose ); -yr probably by association with cater tomcat ( caterwaul ); final -er probably by association with piller despoiler ( pillage, -er ¹ ); chenille

Word History and Origins

Origin of caterpillar¹

C15 catyrpel, probably from Old Northern French catepelose, literally: hairy cat

Example Sentences

His surrealist reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s Victorian children’s novel, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” distorts the nonsense and whimsy: melting clocks and anxious White Rabbits, sinister playing cards and caterpillars on mushrooms.

From Los Angeles Times

Their leaves feed caterpillars, their bark shelters bats and beetles, and their acorns sustain mammals and birds through the winter.

From BBC

It's carrying a caterpillar – prey to feed its young.

From BBC

Also, monarch butterflies flit among the tall stands of narrow leaf milkweed, the plant their caterpillars require to survive.

From Los Angeles Times

It also offers a variety of seeds for black, white, purple, Cleveland and hummingbird sages, as well as apricot mallow, showy penstemon, yarrow, California poppies, caterpillar phacelia and more.

From Los Angeles Times