silkworm

A noun referring to the caterpillar of the silkworm moth, which spins a cocoon of silk fiber that is the primary source of commercial silk.

• 🇩🇪Substantiv, das die Raupe des Maulbeerspinners bezeichnet, die einen Kokon aus Seidenfäden spinnt; diese Seide ist die wichtigste Quelle für handelsübliche Seide.

1. Domestic silkworm B2 formal

   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.

   • The silkworm is carefully raised on mulberry leaves for silk production.
   • Farmers harvest the cocoons of the silkworm before the moth emerges.
   • The domestic silkworm has been bred for thousands of years for its silk.

   🇩🇪Seidenspinner

2. Wild silkworm C1 formal

   The larva of a saturniid moth that spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon.

   • The wild silkworm produces a coarser but very durable silk.
   • Some species of wild silkworm are found in tropical forests.
   • The cocoon of the wild silkworm is often used in traditional textiles.

   🇩🇪Wilder Seidenspinner

   Synonyme: tussahtussertussoretussur

• silkworms plural form
• silkworms' possessive plural form
• silkworm's possessive singular form