imago

American  

[ih-mey-goh, ih-mah-] / ɪˈmeɪ goʊ, ɪˈmɑ- /

noun

plural

imagoes, imagines

1. Entomology. an adult insect.

2. Psychoanalysis. an idealized concept of a loved one, formed in childhood and retained unaltered in adult life.

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imago British  

/ ɪˈmeɪɡəʊ /

noun

1. an adult sexually mature insect produced after metamorphosis

2. psychoanal an idealized image of another person, usually a parent, acquired in childhood and carried in the unconscious in later life

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imago Scientific  

/ ĭ-mā′gō /

plural

imagoes

1. An insect in its sexually mature adult stage after metamorphosis.

2. Compare larva nymph pupa

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Etymology

Origin of imago

1790–1800; < New Latin, Latin imāgō; image

Example Sentences

He imagines himself to be the emperor of the Americas — all of it.

From Los Angeles Times

He imagines a world where each of us could have "thousands of simplified twins", using them to explore how "different medications or lifestyle changes affect your unique biology".

From BBC

David imagines Silas mentoring him, introducing him to literary luminaries and advancing his career.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s a countercultural movement that imagines us finding an actual balance with nature while improving people’s quality of life.

From Salon

The myth imagines a benevolent planner; the reality looks much closer to a second-best market riddled with information frictions.

From The Wall Street Journal