From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Silkworm \Silk"worm`\, n. [AS. seolcwyrm.] (Zool.)
The larva of any one of numerous species of bombycid moths,
which spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its
cocoon before changing to a pupa.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The common species ({Bombyx mori}) feeds on the leaves
of the white mulberry tree. It is native of China, but
has long been introduced into other countries of Asia
and Europe, and is reared on a large scale. In America
it is reared only to small extent. The Ailanthus
silkworm ({Philosamia cynthia}) is a much larger
species, of considerable importance, which has been
introduced into Europe and America from China. The most
useful American species is the Polyphemus. See
{Polyphemus}.
[1913 Webster]
{Pernyi silkworm}, the larva of the Pernyi moth. See {Pernyi
moth}.
{Silkworm gut}, a substance prepared from the contents of the
silk glands of silkworms and used in making lines for
angling. See {Gut}.
{Silkworm rot}, a disease of silkworms; muscardine.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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. (Zool.) 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}.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Scorpiurus}, with pods
resembling caterpillars.
[1913 Webster]
{Caterpillar catcher}, or {Caterpillar eater} (Zool.), a bird
belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on
caterpillars. The name is also given to several other
birds.
{Caterpillar hunter} (Zool.), any species of beetles of the
genus {Callosoma} and other allied genera of the family
{Carabid[ae]} which feed habitually upon caterpillars.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
silkworm
n 1: the commercially bred hairless white caterpillar of the
domestic silkworm moth which spins a cocoon that can be
processed to yield silk fiber; the principal source of
commercial silk
2: larva of a saturniid moth; spins a large amount of strong
silk in constructing its cocoon [syn: {silkworm}, {giant
silkworm}, {wild wilkworm}]
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