larva

American  

[lahr-vuh] / ˈlɑr və /

noun

• larvae
  plural

1. Entomology. the immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete metamorphosis.

2. any animal in an analogous immature form.

3. the young of any invertebrate animal.

4. Roman Antiquity. larvae, malignant ghosts, as lemures.

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larva British  

/ ˈlɑːvə /

noun

1. an immature free-living form of many animals that develops into a different adult form by metamorphosis

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larva Scientific  

/ lär′və /

• larvae
  plural

1. An animal in an early stage of development that differs greatly in appearance from its adult stage. Larvae are adapted to a different environment and way of life from those of adults and go through a process of metamorphosis in changing to adults. Tadpoles are the larvae of frogs and toads.

2. The immature, wingless, and usually wormlike feeding form of those insects that undergo three stages of metamorphosis, such as butterflies, moths, and beetles. Insect larvae hatch from eggs, later turn into pupae, and finally turn into adults.

3. Compare imago nymph pupa

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• larval
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• larvae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of larva

First recorded in 1645–55; from New Latin; special use of Latin larva “a ghost, specter, mask, skeleton”; akin to Lares

Explanation

The immature form of many insects and amphibians is a larva. A caterpillar is one example of a larva — it has hatched from an egg and will eventually become a fully mature butterfly. You may picture a larva as a little grubby white bug, and in many cases you'd be correct. Many insects pass through a larval stage in which they resemble grubs — in fact, grubs are the larva of insects like June bugs and Japanese beetles. Other familiar larvae include tadpoles and maggots. The name, which means "evil spirit" or "terrifying mask" in Latin, comes from the idea that a larval insect's final form is hidden, or "masked."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

larva larvae

That’s because a screwworm larva “attacks living flesh,” Talbot said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

Dr Smith said this might have been caused by high concentrations of phosphorus in the ocean where this larva briefly lived and died.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2024

A doctor without firsthand knowledge of Kennedy's medical history told the Times that details described in the deposition pointed to a pork tapeworm larva.

From Salon ● May 8, 2024

The weird thing is, the larva cannot produce carminic acid on its own.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 15, 2024

I dig a beetle larva out of a decaying log and put it on a thornbush fishhook I made and tied to a fine cord of deer tendon.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Natural Resources Wales said the habitat allowed wet sedges to grow - which is the only food source for the Bog Grass Moth's larvae.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The research team will now trial the feasibility of a mobile oyster hatchery, in the hope it could both supply oyster larvae to coastal communities and help rebuild oyster beds in various areas.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

While many maggots consume dead or decomposing material, screwworm larvae feed on healthy, living flesh.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

The adult size of many insects is fixed during their development, depending on the quality and quantity of food they receive as larvae.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

Even exposures to less than lethal quantities may in the end cause death of the larvae, for inevitably the growth rate is retarded.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• grub
• worm