larvae-boosting
|lar-vae-boost-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈlɑr.viː ˈbuːst/
🇬🇧
/ˈlɑː.viː ˈbuːst/
(larvae-boost)
increase larvae / promote larval growth
Etymology
'larvae-boosting' is a modern English compound formed from 'larvae' (the plural of 'larva') + the present participle 'boosting' of the verb 'boost'.
'larvae' comes from Latin 'larva' meaning 'mask' or 'ghost' and entered English via scientific Latin; 'boost' is a later English verb (recorded from the 16th–17th century) of uncertain or regional origin (possibly Scots or imitative). The compound 'larvae-boosting' is a recent coinage used in ecological, entomological, or applied contexts to describe actions or conditions that increase larval numbers.
This compound did not exist historically as a lexical item; it was created by straightforward combination of two existing elements to express the modern idea 'causing an increase in larvae'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
present participle of 'larvae-boost' (to increase the number of larvae or to promote larval growth).
In the experiment, researchers are larvae-boosting several breeding pools to observe developmental differences.
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Adjective 1
causing or encouraging an increase in the number or growth of larvae; used attributively (e.g., 'larvae-boosting conditions').
The larvae-boosting conditions in the flooded marsh led to a sudden spike in mosquito populations.
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Last updated: 2025/08/26 15:25