cat·er·pil·lar
ˈka-tər-ˌpi-lər 
-tə-
often attributive
: the elongated wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth
also
: any of various similar larvae
—used for a tractor made for use on rough or soft ground and moved on two endless metal belts
Examples of caterpillar in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
After all, that’s when most caterpillars tend to hatch.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2025
Warned by ornithologists that killing an insectivorous bird that also ate grain seeds would lead to a surge in locusts and caterpillars, Mao dismissed such arguments and urged mass slaughter.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But the larvae, which are similar to small caterpillars or tiny worms, are what do the damage to plants by feeding on foliage.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caterpillar
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Noun
Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
After all, that’s when most caterpillars tend to hatch.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2025
Warned by ornithologists that killing an insectivorous bird that also ate grain seeds would lead to a surge in locusts and caterpillars, Mao dismissed such arguments and urged mass slaughter.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
But the larvae, which are similar to small caterpillars or tiny worms, are what do the damage to plants by feeding on foliage.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caterpillar
Cite this Entry
“Caterpillar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caterpillar. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
caterpillar
noun
cat·er·pil·lar
ˈkat-ə(r)-ˌpil-ər
: the long wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth
also
: any of various similar insect larvae (as of a sawfly)
Etymology
Noun
Middle English catyrpel "caterpillar," from an early French dialect word catepelose "caterpillar," literally, "hairy cat," from cate "female cat" and pelose "hairy," derived from Latin pilus "hair" — related to pile entry 5
Word Origin
On looking at a fuzzy caterpillar you might see a resemblance to another animal. One kind of caterpillar must have reminded some people of a bear and was at one time called a bear worm and later a woolly bear. In France long ago, the fuzzy caterpillars probably made some people think of little dogs. The French word for caterpillar is chenille, which comes from a Latin word for "little dog." But our word caterpillar comes from an early French dialect word, catepelose, which is made up of two words meaning "hairy cat." Pelose, meaning "hairy," was taken from Latin pilus, "hair." This Latin word is the same root that gives us our modern English word pile, meaning "a coat or surface of short furry hairs." Since many caterpillars are covered with such a coat, the name is very fitting.
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