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caterpillar

ca·ter·pil·lar

UK/ˈkætəˌpɪlə/ US/ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/ uncommon obsolete

noun

1.
2.

a drug that relaxes and dilates the bronchial passageways and improves the passages of air into the lungs

Synonyms

Origin

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”). See Modern Norman cattepeleuse. Displaced native kaleworm, from Middle English cowle worm, cale worme (“caterpillar, corn weevil”), from Old English cawelwyrm, cawelwurm (“caterpillar”).

Phrases

  • alfalfa caterpillar
  • caterpillar catcher
  • Caterpillar Club
  • caterpillar eater
  • caterpillar fungus
  • caterpillar hunter
  • caterpillar roll
  • caterpillar searcher

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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Parts

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.