silkworm

• Nom désignant la chenille du ver à soie qui tisse un cocon de fibre de soie, principale source de soie commerciale.

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.

1. B2formal

   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.

   Ver à soie domestique

   • 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.

2. Wild silkwormC1formal

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

   ver à soie sauvage

   • 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.

   Synonymestussahtussertussoretussur