rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycaterpillarButterfly or moth larva
noun

caterpillar

KAT-er-pil-er/ˈkætərpɪlər/

The wormlike young of a butterfly or moth.

A green caterpillar chews along the edge of a leaf.

A clearly recognizable caterpillar crawling along and nibbling the edge of a green leaf, with its segmented body, small head, true legs and fleshy prolegs plainly visible.
Etymology
caterLatincat
+pillarLatinhairy, shaggy

The name probably comes from a phrase meaning “shaggy cat,” likely referring to a hairy variety such as the woolly bear. The image compares the larva’s hairy covering to an animal’s fur.

In context

Deep Look0:39
… the silkworm this moths caterpillar spits out an extraordinary fiber …
Silkworms Spin Cocoons That Spell Their Own Doom | Deep Look

More examples

  • The caterpillar crawls slowly up the stem.
  • She watches the caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly.
  • Several hairy caterpillars feed on the shrub.

Forms

caterpillar · caterpillars

Similar words

larva
The broader term for an immature stage of many animals.
worm
A different animal rather than a butterfly or moth larva.