---
title: caterpillar — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «caterpillar» in the school dictionary: A caterpillar is the long, soft, worm-like larva of a butterfly or moth, with many legs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/caterpillar/)

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# caterpillar

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** caterpillar, Caterpillar track, Caterpillars, hairy caterpillars, We · **What happens:** be, move, write, munch, turn, hatch · **To what, where:** long soft like larva, moving metal belt, wheels, cabbage leaf, skin, chrysalis · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«caterpillar» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [caterpillar in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/caterpillar.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A caterpillar is the long, soft, worm-like larva of a butterfly or moth, with many legs.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:m1:1
# text = A caterpillar is the long, soft, worm-like larva of a butterfly or moth, with many legs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
9	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	larva	larva	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	butterfly	butterfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	moth	moth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	with	with	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a caterpillar | the long soft like larva and many legs |  |  |  | of a butterfly or moth | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Caterpillar track is a moving metal belt around the wheels of a tractor or tank (often written caterpillar track).

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:m2:1
# text = A Caterpillar track is a moving metal belt around the wheels of a tractor or tank (often written caterpillar track).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Caterpillar	caterpillar	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	track	track	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
7	metal	metal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	belt	belt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	around	around	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	wheels	wheel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	tractor	tractor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
17	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	often	often	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	21	amod	_	_
20	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	track	track	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a Caterpillar track | a moving metal belt |  | the wheels of a tractor or tank |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **write** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | often *property* | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The caterpillar munched a cabbage leaf.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x1:1
# text = The caterpillar munched a cabbage leaf.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	munched	munch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	cabbage	cabbage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	leaf	leaf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **munch** | past | the caterpillar | a cabbage leaf |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leaf=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A caterpillar turns into a butterfly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x2:1
# text = A caterpillar turns into a butterfly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	turns	turn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	butterfly	butterfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | present | a caterpillar |  |  |  |  | into a butterfly *result* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into butterfly=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Caterpillars hatch from tiny eggs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x3:1
# text = Caterpillars hatch from tiny eggs.
1	Caterpillars	caterpillar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hatch	hatch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hatch** | present | Caterpillars |  |  |  |  | from tiny eggs | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP V NP.product PP.patient»: agent=Agent from egg=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some hairy caterpillars can make your skin itchy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x4:1
# text = Some hairy caterpillars can make your skin itchy.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	hairy	hairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	caterpillars	caterpillar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	itchy	itchy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | can | some hairy caterpillars | your skin |  |  |  | itchy *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skin=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The caterpillar made a chrysalis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x5:1
# text = The caterpillar made a chrysalis.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	chrysalis	chrysalis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the caterpillar | a chrysalis |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chrysalis=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x6:1
# text = We read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	Very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	Hungry	hungry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	Caterpillar	Caterpillar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past | We | the Hungry Caterpillar |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent caterpillar=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"I writhed myself free," said the Caterpillar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caterpillar:x7:1
# text = "I writhed myself free," said the Caterpillar.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	writhed	writhe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	parataxis	_	_
4	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	3	obj	_	_
5	free	free	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Caterpillar	Caterpillar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **writhe** *in a quote* | past | the Caterpillar *= caterpillar* | the Caterpillar *= caterpillar* |  |  |  | free *property* | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location myself=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the Caterpillar |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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