Meaning & use

inchworm

noun·Everyday

The caterpillar of a geometer moth, which moves by arching its body as though measuring the ground.

See it in a sentence

An inchworm looped its way slowly along the edge of the leaf.

The children watched an inchworm inch across the picnic table.

A note on using this word

The name comes from the caterpillar's distinctive looping motion, which looks like it is measuring inches as it crawls.

Words with a similar meaning

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