资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Caterpillar \Cat"er*pil`lar\, n. [OE. catyrpel, corrupted fr.
   OF. chatepelouse, or cate pelue, fr. chate, F. chatte,
   she-cat, fem. of chat, L. catus + L. pilosus hairy, or F.
   pelu hairy, fr. L. pilus hair. See {Cat}, and {Pile} hair.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) The larval state of a butterfly or any
      lepidopterous insect; sometimes, but less commonly, the
      larval state of other insects, as the sawflies, which are
      also called false caterpillars. The true caterpillars have
      three pairs of true legs, and several pairs of abdominal
      fleshy legs (prolegs) armed with hooks. Some are hairy,
      others naked. They usually feed on leaves, fruit, and
      succulent vegetables, being often very destructive, Many
      of them are popularly called worms, as the cutworm,
      cankerworm, army worm, cotton worm, silkworm.

   2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Scorpiurus}, with pods
      resembling caterpillars.

   {Caterpillar catcher}, or {Caterpillar eater} (Zo["o]l.), a
      bird belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on
      caterpillars. The name is also given to several other
      birds.

   {Caterpillar hunter} (Zo["o]l.), any species of beetles of
      the genus {Callosoma} and other allied genera of the
      family {Carabid[ae]} which feed habitually upon
      caterpillars.