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caterpillar
(kætəʳpɪləʳ)
Word forms: plural caterpillars
countable noun
A caterpillar is a small, worm-like animal that feeds on plants and eventually develops into a butterfly or moth.
caterpillar in British English
(ˈkætəˌpɪlə)
noun
the wormlike larva of butterflies and moths, having numerous pairs of legs and powerful biting jaws. It may be brightly coloured, hairy, or spiny
Word origin
C15 catyrpel, probably from Old Northern French catepelose, literally: hairy catCaterpillar in British English
(ˈkætəˌpɪlə)
noun trademark
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 in American English
(ˈkætərˌpɪlər; ˈkætəˌpɪlər)
noun
1.
the wormlike larva of various insects, esp. of a butterfly or moth
US; [C-] trademark
2.
a tractor equipped on each side with a continuous roller belt over cogged wheels, for moving over rough or muddy ground
Word origin
ME catirpel < NormFr catepilose (OFr chatepelose), lit., hairy cat < L catta, cat1 + pilosus < pilus, hair: see pile2Image ofcaterpillar
© Nekrasov Andrey, shutterstock
Examples of 'caterpillar' in a sentencecaterpillar
In other languagescaterpillar
British English: caterpillar /ˈkætəˌpɪlə/ NOUN
A caterpillar is a small worm-like animal that eventually develops into a butterfly or moth.
- American English: caterpillar
- Arabic: يُسْروع
- Brazilian Portuguese: lagarta
- Chinese: 毛虫
- Croatian: gusjenica
- Czech: housenka
- Danish: kålorm
- Dutch: rups
- European Spanish: oruga
- Finnish: toukka
- French: chenille
- German: Raupe
- Greek: κάμπια
- Italian: bruco
- Japanese: イモムシ
- Korean: 애벌레
- Norwegian: kålorm
- Polish: gąsienica
- European Portuguese: lagarta
- Romanian: omidă
- Russian: гусеница
- Latin American Spanish: oruga
- Swedish: fjärilslarv
- Thai: หนอนผีเสื้อ
- Turkish: tırtıl
- Ukrainian: гусениця
- Vietnamese: sâu bướm
Chinese translation of 'caterpillar'
caterpillar
(ˈkætəpɪləʳ)
n (c)
-
毛虫(蟲)
(máochóng) (条(條), tiǎo)