Jump To:

• 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.

---

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.

---

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

---

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

---

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.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• caterpillars
  plural

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

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

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

From Science Daily ● Apr. 26, 2026

This year also featured some of the most memorable art in the festival’s history, with the hippos running “Corporate Headquarters” and the transformation of Poetic Kinetics’ Coachella caterpillar into a butterfly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026

After years of work with landowners by the charity Butterfly Conservation, the latest survey of silken caterpillar nests has seen huge increases.

From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2025

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

A caterpillar, or butterfly larva, is an eating machine.

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

Other newly listed companies that have slipped in recent weeks include Innio, which competes with Caterpillar and others to sell reciprocating engines used to provide off-grid power.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Chris Semenuk, fund manager at Tema ETFs, told MarketWatch that standout large-capitalization industrial names like Caterpillar, GE Vernova and Vertiv will continue to climb.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

These companies supply aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus, aircraft-engine makers including GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce and RTX’s Pratt & Whitney and the power-turbine manufacturers GE Vernova, Siemens, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Caterpillar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Caterpillar has also been expanding sales and profits, so it’s been a happy story all the way around.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

He looked at Caterpillar, who was wearing her new hat.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

The breakthrough came after he learned that some US caterpillars glow under UV light.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

"The caterpillars look like leaves, the chrysalis like bird droppings, and the adults stay high in trees," he explained.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

Many insects, especially caterpillars, hatch just as tree leaves are young, tender, and full of nutrients.

From Science Daily ● May 5, 2026

His lips crawled over the square holes of the harmonica like fat, puckered caterpillars.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers