Caterpillar vs. Butterfly

Caterpillarnoun

The larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm.

‘The bird just ate that green caterpillar.’;

Butterflynoun

A flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from moths by their diurnal activity and generally brighter colouring.

Caterpillarnoun

A vehicle with a caterpillar track; a crawler.

Butterflynoun

A use of surgical tape, cut into thin strips and placed across an open wound to hold it closed.

‘butterfly tape’;

Caterpillarnoun

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.

Butterflynoun

(swimming) The butterfly stroke.

Caterpillarnoun

A plant of the genus Scorpiurus, with pods resembling caterpillars.

Butterflynoun

Someone seen as being unserious and (originally) dressed gaudily; someone flighty and unreliable.

Caterpillarnoun

a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth

Butterflyverb

(transitive) To cut (food) almost entirely in half and spread the halves apart, in a shape suggesting the wings of a butterfly.

‘butterflied shrimp’; ‘Butterfly the chicken before you grill it.’;

Caterpillarnoun

a large vehicle that is driven by caterpillar tracks; frequently used for moving earth in construction and farm work

Butterflyverb

(transitive) To cut strips of surgical tape or plasters into thin strips, and place across (a gaping wound) to close it.

Caterpillar

Caterpillars ( CAT-ər-pil-ər) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies are commonly called caterpillars as well.

Butterflynoun

A general name for the numerous species of diurnal Lepidoptera.

Butterflynoun

diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings

Butterflynoun

a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down

Butterflyverb

flutter like a butterfly

Butterflyverb

cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking;

‘butterflied shrimp’;

Butterflyverb

talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions;

‘The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries’; ‘My husband never flirts with other women’;

Butterflynoun

a nectar-feeding insect with two pairs of large, typically brightly coloured wings that are covered with microscopic scales. Butterflies are distinguished from moths by having clubbed or dilated antennae, holding their wings erect when at rest, and being active by day.

Butterflynoun

having a two-lobed shape resembling the spread wings of a butterfly

‘a butterfly clip’;

Butterflynoun

a showy or frivolous person

‘a social butterfly’;

Butterflynoun

a fluttering and nauseous sensation felt in the stomach when one is nervous.

Butterflynoun

a stroke in swimming in which both arms are raised out of the water and lifted forwards together.

Butterflyverb

split (a piece of meat or fish) almost in two and spread it out flat

‘butterfly the shrimp using a small sharp knife’;

Butterfly

Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight.