They derive from Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably an alteration of Old North French catepelose: cate, cat (from Latin cattus) + pelose, hairy (from Latin pilōsus). “Epidemic” vs. “Pandemic” vs. “Endemic”: What Do These Terms Mean? See the full definition for caterpillar in the English Language Learners Dictionary, Nglish: Translation of caterpillar for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of caterpillar for Arabic Speakers, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about caterpillar. Copyright © 2011. the wormlike larva of a butterfly or a moth. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way. It may be brightly coloured, hairy, or spiny, an endless track, driven by sprockets or wheels, used to propel a heavy vehicle and enable it to cross soft or uneven ground, a vehicle, such as a tractor, tank, bulldozer, etc, driven by such tracks. Caterpillars feed on plants. Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. Caterpillars have thirteen body segments, with three pairs of stubby legs on the thorax and several on the abdomen, six eyes on each … https://www.thefreedictionary.com/caterpillar. “Caterpillar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caterpillar. 15th century, in the meaning defined above, Middle English catyrpel, from Anglo-French *catepelose, literally, hairy cat. It may seem like fun and games but this vocab quiz will determine how much you know. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caterpillar.' How To Determine Subject vs. Predicate In A Sentence. “I always try to communicate to our people that we can never make enough money,” as Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman put it. caterpillar. Delivered to your inbox! Send us feedback. How Mexico’s Cartels Are Behind the Border Kid Crisis. The ichneumon pierces the body of a caterpillar and lays her eggs where the grubs will find abundant animal food. the larva of a butterfly or moth that feeds upon the leaves of plants. Absentee Ballot vs. Mail-In Ballot: Is There A Difference? May I recommend the one featuring a picture of the dome from The Dome of the Rock being demolished by a Caterpillar bulldozer? the larva of a butterfly or a moth, having biting mouthparts, a long segmented body with several pairs of legs and prolegs, and a spinneret. The origins of the word "caterpillar" date from the early 16th century. She picks up the caterpillar, brings it to the mouth of the burrow and lays it down. Accessed 8 Oct. 2020. The American Heritage® Science Dictionary used for a tractor made for use on rough or soft ground and moved on two endless metal belts, And the kid who was always first in line to hold scary reptiles at birthday parties is now afraid of bugs, and runs away screaming at the sight of a, My once-defined, lifted arch slowly began to resemble a fuzzy, Use the vegetable garden as an opportunity to talk about where food comes from or watch butterflies flutter while discussing how the insect was once a, Native to Australia, Uraba lugens is a strange, And by embarking on this journey underscored by the grandest leap of faith, the, Post the Definition of caterpillar to Facebook, Share the Definition of caterpillar on Twitter, Which of the following was once a synonym for. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. It may be brightly coloured, hairy, or spiny. The wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? 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. Henry Ford Understood That Raising Wages Would Bring Him More Profit, What Hawking and Jerusalem Day Have in Common, The Moths of the British Isles, First Series, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 2, Original Short Stories, Volume 11 (of 13). Could a Pro-Pot Lesbian Become the Next Governor of Maryland? What’s The Difference Between Atheism And Agnosticism? Caterpillars feed mostly on foliage and are usually brightly colored. Caterpillar notched record profits in 2012 and then in early 2013 bludgeoned its unions into accepting a six-year wage freeze. Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative? (Zoology) the wormlike larva of butterflies and moths, having numerous pairs of legs and powerful biting jaws. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition A trademark for a tractor equipped with continuous chain treads. Her father worked for Caterpillar and was a member of the United Auto Workers. “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time, 10 Types Of Nouns Used In The English Language. "You'll get used to it in time," said the Caterpillar; and it put the hookah into its mouth and began smoking again. a tractor intended for rough terrain, propelled by two endless belts or tracks that pass over a number of wheels. Sometimes bright red spots appear on the sides in some examples of the caterpillar. Bergson, quoting Fabre, has made play with the supposed extraordinary accuracy of the solitary wasp Ammophila, which lays its eggs in a, In this instance it was the anthropoid that retired in stiff dignity to inspect an unhappy, But Queequeg, do you see, was a creature in the transition state -- neither, Over the Maybury arch a train, a billowing tumult of white, firelit smoke, and a long, Sometimes, quite often in fact, for he was an ape, his attention was distracted by other things, a beetle, a, She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large, Cecily winced when Pat caught a mouse, visited a school chum the day the pigs were killed that she might not hear their squealing, and would not have stepped on a, When her eggs hatched, the wax was riddled with little tunnels, coated with the dirty clothes of the, ځينى حشرات (پتنګ، كمپلۍ چه دچنجى په حالت كى وى: دونى تچنيجى: غير مولد مستهلك (تيار خومر): ترا كتور چه پرى پرى ځنځير ډول ارابې لرى, ที่มีลักษณะเป็นข้อต่อกัน; ที่หมุนไปตามสายพาน, Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, Caterpillar Dealers Used Parts Association, Caterpillar Employees Federal Credit Union. [ kăt ′ər-pĭl′ər ] The wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). Dictionary.com Unabridged Caterpillar definition is - the elongated wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth; also : any of various similar larvae. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Poiret claimed that it was a spider, the teacher, thought it might be a caterpillar. All rights reserved. Nearby, a yellow Caterpillar excavator sits idle next to an opening that once led into a cross-border tunnel. What made you want to look up caterpillar? Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Many have poisonous spines. the wormlike larva of butterflies and moths, having numerous pairs of legs and powerful biting jaws. What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”? Learn a new word every day. a person who preys on others; extortioner. The worm-like larva of a butterfly or moth, often having fine hairs or brightly colored patterns. Any of various insect larvae similar to those of the butterfly or moth. Does Traditional Grammar Matter When It Comes To Singular “They” And “Themself”?