Skip to content

chenille

caterpillar

noun sheh-NEE-yeh Rare

Also means

chenille fabric

Usage Note

chenille refers both to the larva of a butterfly or moth and to the soft, velvety fabric named after it (because the fabric resembles a fuzzy caterpillar). The plural is regular: chenilles. The butterfly stage is papillon, and the chrysalis is chrysalide.

Examples

"La chenille se transforme en papillon."

Natural Translation

The caterpillar turns into a butterfly.

Explore French by topic