Meaning & use
palmerworm
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An archaic or dialectal name for a hairy, wandering caterpillar, especially one that migrates in destructive swarms over crops.
See it in a sentence
The old almanac warned farmers to watch for the palmerworm before the harvest.
The biblical book of Joel describes a plague beginning with the palmerworm and ending with the locust.
A note on using this word
The name likely comes from the caterpillar's wandering habit, resembling a "palmer," a medieval pilgrim who traveled from place to place.
Words with a similar meaning
caterpillar
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