pupa
[ pyoo-puh ]
/ ˈpyu pə /
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noun, plural pu·pae [pyoo-pee], /ˈpyu pi/, pu·pas.
an insect in the nonfeeding, usually immobile, transformation stage between the larva and the imago.
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OTHER WORDS FROM pupa
pupal, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use pupa in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for pupa
pupa
/ (ˈpjuːpə) /
noun plural -pae (-piː) or -pas
Derived forms of pupa
pupal, adjectiveWord Origin for pupa
C19: via New Latin, from Latin: a doll, puppet
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for pupa
pupa
[ pyōō′pə ]
Plural pupae (pyōō′pē)
An insect in the nonfeeding stage of development between the larva and adult, during which it typically undergoes a complete transformation within a protective cocoon or hardened case. Only certain kinds of insects, such as moths, butterflies, ants, and beetles, develop as larvae and pupae. Compare imago larva nymph.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.