caterpillar

English
A caterpillar—the larva of a butterfly or moth.

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably from Old Northern French catepeluse (Modern French chatte + pileuse (“hairy cat”)), from Late Latin catta + pilōsa.

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkætəˌpɪlə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/, /ˈkætəˌpɪlɚ/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

caterpillar (plural caterpillars)

  1. The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
    The bird just ate that green caterpillar.
  2. A vehicle with a caterpillar track; a crawler.
  3. (mathematics) A set of subtrees of a tree.
  4. A rapacious person preying upon the community. (Webster's 2nd Int.)(Can we verify(+) this sense?)

Derived terms

Translations
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See also

Swedish

Noun

caterpillar c

  1. A vehicle with caterpillar track
    Synonym: bandfordon

Declension
Declension of caterpillar 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative caterpillar caterpillarn caterpillrar caterpillrarna
Genitive caterpillars caterpillarns caterpillrars caterpillrarnas
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