Definition

1. Noun:
   • The larva of a butterfly or moth: A caterpillar is the worm-like, often hairy or brightly colored, larval stage of a butterfly or moth.
   • A type of tracked vehicle: A Caterpillar (often capitalized as a trademark) is a large vehicle, such as a tractor or bulldozer, that moves on two continuous metal tracks.

Examples

• Noun (Insect Larva):
  • The children watched the green caterpillar crawl along the leaf.
  • Before becoming a butterfly, it spends weeks as a caterpillar.
• Noun (Vehicle):
  • The construction crew used a Caterpillar to clear the site.
  • These heavy Caterpillar tractors are essential for farm work.

Advanced Usage

• "Caterpillar track": The continuous metal belt on which certain vehicles move.
  • The tank's caterpillar track was damaged in the field.
• Figurative use for slow, steady movement:
  • The line of hikers moved up the mountain like a caterpillar.

Variants and Related Words

• Caterpillar (trademark): Often capitalized when referring specifically to vehicles made by the Caterpillar Inc. company.
• Caterpillaring (informal, rare): Moving in a slow, undulating manner like a caterpillar larva.

Synonyms

• Larva: The immature, wingless, and often worm-like feeding form of an insect.
• Tracked vehicle: A vehicle that moves on continuous tracks instead of wheels.

Related Phrases

• Caterpillar fungus: A parasitic fungus that grows on insect larvae (not directly related to the word's core meaning but a common compound term).
• Turn into a butterfly: A common idiom referencing the transformation from a caterpillar.

Related Idioms

• The very hungry caterpillar: A reference from the famous children's book, often used to describe someone or something that eats a lot.
  • After the game, he ate like the very hungry caterpillar.

Noun

1. a large tracked vehicle that is propelled by two endless metal belts; frequently used for moving earth in construction and farm work
2. a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth