Catterpillar or caterpillar?
Did you mean caterpillar? Here's the right spelling and how to remember it.
Incorrect
catterpillar
Correct
caterpillar
Correct spelling: caterpillar. Misspelling: catterpillar.
letters the misspelling gets wrong or leaves out letters that shouldn't be there
Memory tip
One T, and the ending is -pillar, like a stone pillar.
Why people write “catterpillar”
The misspelling “catterpillar” is only one letter off: it doubles the T, which caterpillar spells with just one.
Spell-checkers catch the mistake in a document, but not in a handwritten note, a text message or a word game. Writing the word out a few times while saying the tricky part aloud is the quickest way to make caterpillar automatic.
Other misspellings of “caterpillar”
People also write “caterpiller”. Here is where each one goes wrong.
“caterpiller”
Correct spelling: caterpillar. Misspelling: caterpiller.
letters the misspelling gets wrong or leaves out letters that shouldn't be there
The misspelling “caterpiller” is only one letter off: it writes E where caterpillar has A, an easy slip because in an unstressed syllable both vowels can sound like the same soft "uh".
What does “caterpillar” mean?
caterpillar noun
- a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth
- a large tracked vehicle that is propelled by two endless metal belts; frequently used for moving earth in construction and farm work
Synonyms:cat
Definitions from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Full dictionary entry
“Caterpillar” in a sentence
- A caterpillar turns into a butterfly.
Is “caterpillar” a playable word?
15 points in Scrabble · 19 in Words With Friends
- Scrabble (US)
- Scrabble (UK)
- Words With Friends
“catterpillar” is not accepted in any of these games. See every word you can make from CATERPILLAR.