larva

noun

lar·va ˈlär-və

plural larvae ˈlär-(ˌ)vē

-ˌvī

also larvas

: the immature, wingless, and often wormlike feeding form that hatches from the egg of many insects, alters chiefly in size while passing through several molts, and is finally transformed into a pupa or chrysalis (see chrysalis sense 1a) from which the adult emerges

: the early form of an animal (such as a frog or sea urchin) that at birth or hatching is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose before assuming the adult characters

larval

ˈlär-vəl

adjective

Example Sentences

The larva of a butterfly is called a caterpillar. the larva looked ugly, but it was destined to hatch into a beautiful butterfly

Recent Examples on the Web Just one predatory larva can devour as many as 5,000 prey larvae before reaching adulthood.

Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 1 Nov. 2022 The smallest larva ever weighed was 3.7 milligrams.

Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2022 Instead a larva must first be ingested by a copepod, a crustacean akin to a tiny shrimp.

Madhusree Mukerjee, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2022 The egg hatches into a legless larva that consumes the paralyzed insect(s).

Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 As LeBrun and his colleagues describe in their new paper, this worker-to-larva transmission creates some seriously bad timing for the colony.

Matt Simon, Wired, 30 Mar. 2022 This larva is between about two and two and a half inches.

Andrea Gawrylewski, Scientific American, 8 June 2022 Two-thirds of native bee species live in nests underground in complex tunnel systems designed to protect the developing larva from predators, fungus, weather conditions and other diseases.

Leah Taylor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2022 Patterning associated with textiles merges with kaleidoscopic dance routines of a larva-world Busby Berkeley.

Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'larva.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, specter, mask; akin to Latin lar Lar

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of larva was in 1768

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Larva.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/larva. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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Kids Definition

larva

noun

lar·va ˈlär-və

plural larvae -(ˌ)vē

-ˌvī

also larvas

: a young wingless often wormlike form (as a grub or caterpillar) that hatches from the egg of many insects

: an early form of any animal that at birth or hatching is very different from its parents

the tadpole is the larva of the frog

larval

-vəl

adjective

Medical Definition

larva

noun

lar·va ˈlär-və

plural larvae -(ˌ)vē

-ˌvī

also larvas

: the early form of an animal (as a frog) that at birth or hatching is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose before assuming the adult characters

larval

-vəl

adjective