caterpillar

• caterpiller (archaic)

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”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkætəˌpɪlə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/, /ˈkætəˌpɪlɚ/

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caterpillar (plural caterpillars)

1. The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.

   The bird just ate that green caterpillar.

2. A vehicle with a caterpillar track; a crawler.
3. (mathematics) A set of subtrees of a tree.
4. (obsolete) A rapacious, extortionate person preying upon the community.
   • 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 33:

     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.

caterpillar (third-person singular simple present caterpillars, present participle caterpillaring, simple past and past participle caterpillared)

1. (intransitive) To move along slowly, drawing one's body up, in the manner of a caterpillar.

• pillar

caterpillar c

1. A vehicle with caterpillar track

   Synonym: bandfordon