English Meaning & Definitions
The larvae of butterflies and moths, typically having a long, segmented, wormlike body with multiple pairs of legs.
- “A green caterpillar was munching steadily on the tomato plant leaf.”
- “Over time, the fuzzy caterpillar will spin a cocoon and transform into a butterfly.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “caterpillar”.
Late Middle English: from Old French *catte pelose*, literally 'hairy cat' (from late Latin *cattus* 'cat' + *pilosus* 'hairy'). The ending was later altered by folk etymology to associate it with words ending in *-piller*.
Think of a 'cat' that is 'pilar' (peeling) like a tiny furry tube crawling on a leaf.
Frequently Asked Questions About “caterpillar”
1. What is the meaning of “caterpillar” in English?
In English, caterpillar (noun) is defined as: “The larvae of butterflies and moths, typically having a long, segmented, wormlike body with multiple pairs of legs.”.
2. How do you use “caterpillar” in a sentence?
“A green caterpillar was munching steadily on the tomato plant leaf.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “caterpillar”?
Late Middle English: from Old French *catte pelose*, literally 'hairy cat' (from late Latin *cattus* 'cat' + *pilosus* 'hairy'). The ending was later altered by folk etymology to associate it with words ending in *-piller*.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.