silkworm

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun 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
noun larva of a saturniid moth; spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon

From Middle English silkwirm, from Old English seolcwyrm (“silkworm”), equivalent to silk + worm.

Look at us, ma--all here and fine as silkworms." — Just Around the Corner: Romance en casserole, Fannie Hurst
Good-bye; I'm going to get some mulberry-leaves for my silkworms.' — The Talking Horse, and Other Tales, F. Anstey
THE GODDESS OF THE SILKWORM Hoangti was the emperor of China. — The Child's World: Third Reader, Hetty Sibyl Browne

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning