caterpillar
nounverbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈkætəˌpɪlə//
- United States//ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ//
- United States//ˈkætəˌpɪlɚ//
The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
noun
- 1
The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
The bird just ate that green caterpillar.
A caterpillar is letting itself down on a thread, twirling slowly like a rope artist, spiralling towards his chest. It’s a luscious, unreal green, like a gumdrop, and covered with tiny bright hairs.
- 2
A vehicle with a caterpillar track; a crawler.
- 3
A set of subtrees of a tree.
- 4
obsoleteA rapacious, extortionate person preying upon the community.
Bristow Castle, which they say is held By Busbie, Bagot, and their Complices, The Caterpillers of the Commonwealth, Which I haue sworne to weed, and plucke away.
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”).
verb
- 1
To move along slowly, drawing one's body up, in the manner of a caterpillar.
Forms
- plural
- caterpillars
- past tense
- caterpillared
- past participle
- caterpillared
- present participle
- caterpillaring
- third person singular
- caterpillars
caterpillar · The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
catfish · Any fish of the order Siluriformes, mainly found in fresh…Cath · A diminutive of the female given name Catherine.cathedral · Relating to the office of a bishop or an archbishop.