crawler: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral/Technical
Quick answer
What does “crawler” mean?
A person, animal, or thing that moves slowly on its hands and knees or its belly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, animal, or thing that moves slowly on its hands and knees or its belly.
Primarily refers to a software program (web crawler) that systematically browses the internet to index web pages for search engines, or a slow-moving person/vehicle.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Crawler lane' (UK) for slow-vehicle lane on a hill is more common than in US. The term 'toddler' is preferred over 'baby crawler' in both dialects.
Connotations
Similar connotations of slowness or systematic, automated searching.
Frequency
Digital sense is equally frequent. The literal sense is slightly more common in everyday UK English (e.g., describing a baby).
Grammar
How to Use “crawler” in a Sentence
crawler + for + [organisation] (a crawler for Google)crawler + that + [clause] (a crawler that indexes images)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crawler” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The baby has started to crawl.
- The traffic was crawling along the M25.
American English
- The baby just learned to crawl.
- Traffic crawled over the Bay Bridge.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly derived.
American English
- Not commonly derived.
adjective
British English
- The crawler crane was assembled on site.
- He drives a crawler tractor.
American English
- They used a crawler-loader for the excavation.
- The crawler crane is massive.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to SEO tools and web analytics (e.g., 'Our site was visited by a Google crawler').
Academic
Used in computer science and information technology papers on web indexing.
Everyday
Most commonly used for babies learning to move, or for slow traffic.
Technical
A core term in web architecture and search engine technology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crawler”
- Confusing 'crawler' (noun) with 'to crawl' (verb). Using 'crawler' to mean a person who creeps (in a suspicious way) is less common and may be confusing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A crawler discovers and indexes URLs. A scraper extracts specific data from web pages it is directed to. A crawler is a type of bot, but not all bots are crawlers.
In a non-technical sense, it can imply excessive slowness (e.g., 'a crawler in the fast lane'). Rarely, it can be an insult for a servile person (archaic). The digital term is neutral.
The main difference is the rhotic /r/. In American English, the final /r/ is pronounced clearly. In non-rhotic British English (e.g., RP), the final /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel sound.
Use it as a noun: 'We need to baby-proof the house now that Alice is a crawler.' It describes the baby's current stage of mobility.
A person, animal, or thing that moves slowly on its hands and knees or its belly.
Crawler is usually neutral/technical in register.
Crawler: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɔːlə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɔːlər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this noun form.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a baby CRAWLing on the floor, then imagine a digital spider doing the same across the WORLD WIDE WEB.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE INTERNET IS A SPACE TO TRAVERSE / A SEARCH ENGINE IS A COLLECTOR.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'crawler' LEAST likely to be used?