silkworm

noun

silk·​worm ˈsilk-ˌwərm 

: a moth whose larva spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon

especially : an Asian moth (Bombyx mori of the family Bombycidae) whose rough wrinkled hairless caterpillar produces the silk of commerce

Examples of silkworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People farm insects for all sorts of reasons: Farmers rear bees to pollinate billions of dollars of crops, textile companies raise silkworms for their cocoons, and cosmetic companies use cochineal beetles for dyes. —Bob Fischer, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025

The story involves an unlucky silkworm cocoon and Leizu’s hot cup of tea. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

Early Chinese farmers began selectively breeding the wild silkworms that exhibited desirable traits, such as higher silk production, larger size and a less aggressive nature. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

The exhibition also highlights gold substitutes used in the past, such as sea silk made from the filaments secreted by the Pinna nobilis, a type of large saltwater clam; golden spider silk from Madagascar, and yellow cocoons produced by a type of silkworm in Cambodia. —Joelle Diderich, WWD, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

silkworm

noun

silk·​worm ˈsil-ˌkwərm 

: any of various moth larvae that spin a large amount of silk to make a cocoon

especially : a wrinkled hairless yellowish caterpillar that is the larva of an Asian moth, is raised in captivity on mulberry leaves, and produces a strong silk that is the silk most often used for thread or cloth