pupa
noun
an insect in the nonfeeding, usually immobile, transformation stage between the larva and the imago.
pupae
-
pluralof pupa.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More than half of the Aedes albopictus pupae recorded in Baltimore were in a single low-income neighborhood.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
US officials said some four million sterile flies are now being released weekly from the sky, and that some four million more in the pupae stage were being deployed in ground release chambers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026
Eggs and pupae sit low on vegetation over winter, making them vulnerable during prolonged flooding.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
"It should help to identify all terminally-sick ant pupae but be precise enough to avoid triggering the unpacking of healthy pupae or those capable of overcoming the infection with their own immune system."
From Science Daily ● Dec. 3, 2025
No one knew enough to connect butterflies with their pupae, and neither had they recorded what various caterpillar specimens ate or how they behaved as they grew.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
