Silkworm

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪlkwɜːm/

Definitions

1. A caterpillar of a specific moth species that is cultivated for its silk production, serving as a primary source of this fiber in textiles
2. This larval form of a moth is significant in the textile industry for generating silk threads used in fabric making
3. A larva of a moth species that spins cocoons made of silk, used in fabric manufacturing

Etymology: The silkworm is a plain compound: "silk" joined to "worm," with the same basic meaning each part carries on its own. The Old English form "seolcwyrm" was already in use, so the word has been in the language since the Anglo-Saxon period, and the Middle English "silkwirm" shows the spelling slowly settling into its modern shape. Its second half is worth a closer look. In Old English, "wyrm" was a broad term for any small creeping or crawling creature, including snakes, grubs and insects, not only the earthworm people picture today. That is why a caterpillar, the larval stage of a moth, could be named a worm at all. The silkworm is therefore named for what it does rather than for how it looks: it spins the fibre that becomes silk thread.

Synonyms: larva, caterpillar