Caterpillar
/ˈkæt.ə.pɪl.ər/noun
The larva of a butterfly or moth, typically wormlike and often hairy or brightly colored.
Did you know?Its name comes from medieval French forms like *chatepelose* (“hairy cat”), showing how ordinary nature words could begin as vivid, almost spell-like descriptions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pl̥h₁-
“to cover, spread, or grow; the root behind hair and fur terms”
Latin
Latin
pilus
“hair”
Old French
Old French
chatepelose / catepelose
“hairy cat; a caterpillar”
Middle English
English
catyrpel / caterpeler
“caterpillar”
Modern English
English
caterpillar
“the larva of a butterfly or moth”