caterpillar
noun
- Larva of a butterfly or moth
- type of amusement ride; vintage flat ride engineered by the inventor Hyla F. Maynes of North Tonawanda
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈkætəˌpɪlə/ / /ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/ / /ˈkætəˌpɪlɚ/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably from Old Northern French catepeluse (Modern French chatte + pileuse (“hairy cat”)), from Late Latin catta + pilōsa. The sense "rapacious, extortionate person" arose by association with obsolete piller (“plunderer”). See Modern Norman cattepeleuse. Displaced native kaleworm, from Middle English cowle worm, cale worme (“caterpillar, corn weevil”), from Old English cawelwyrm, cawelwurm (“caterpillar”).
- The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.
“The bird just ate that green caterpillar.”
“A caterpillar is letting itself down on a thread, twirling slowly like a rope artist, spiralling towards his chest. It’s a luscious, unreal green, like a gumdrop, and covered with tiny bright hairs.”
- A vehicle with a caterpillar track; a crawler.
- A set of subtrees of a tree.
- A rapacious, extortionate person preying upon the community.
“Bristow Castle, which they say is held By Busbie, Bagot, and their Complices, The Caterpillers of the Commonwealth, Which I haue sworne to weed, and plucke away.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably from Old Northern French catepeluse (Modern French chatte + pileuse (“hairy cat”)), from Late Latin catta + pilōsa. The sense "rapacious, extortionate person" arose by association with obsolete piller (“plunderer”). See Modern Norman cattepeleuse. Displaced native kaleworm, from Middle English cowle worm, cale worme (“caterpillar, corn weevil”), from Old English cawelwyrm, cawelwurm (“caterpillar”).
- To move along slowly, drawing one's body up, in the manner of a caterpillar.