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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Glossary » C » caterpillar

caterpillar

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Parts of a Caterpillar Monarch - Danaus plexippus Black Swallowtail Caterpillar - Papilio polyxenes Flannel Moth - Megalopyge opercularis Euclea delphinii - Euclea Spotted Tussock Moth caterpillar. - Lophocampa maculata Euchaetes egle - male Monkey Slug (Hag Moth Larva) - Phobetron pithecium Curve-lined Owlet Caterpillar - Phyprosopus callitrichoides
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
No Taxon (Glossary)
No Taxon (C)
No Taxon caterpillar
Explanation of Names
Caterpillar has a fascinating etymology. According to Jardine, the English word is apparently a combination (by folk etymology) of cates, food (archaic English meaning choice food, or delicacies, from French acater to buy), and French piller, to rob. The original Old French word was chattepeleuse, a hairy cat. The French word is from Latin cattus cat, plus pilosus hairy (1). (Partridge, in Origins--A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, gives the Old French as cate plue, variant catepelose.)
Identification
caterpillar noun, plural caterpillars - the larval stage of butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera).
See Also
metamorphosis
larva
instar
chrysalis
imago
Print References
Gordh, A Dictionary of Entomology, p. 170 (1)
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913), available here--meaning of cates
Internet References
Jardine's Dictionary of Entomology
Works Cited
1.A Dictionary of Entomology
George Gordh, David H. Headrick. 2003. CABI Publishing.
Contributed by Cotinis on 26 May, 2007 - 3:01am
Last updated 19 September, 2010 - 7:23pm

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