pupa
|pu-pa|
/ˈpjuːpə/
insect resting/transforming stage
Etymology
'pupa' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'pūpa', where 'pūpa' meant 'doll' or 'little girl'.
'pupa' entered scientific usage in Late/Neo-Latin to describe the immobile stage of insects and was adopted into English from Latin/Neo-Latin as 'pupa'.
Initially, it meant 'doll' or 'little girl' in Latin, but over time it evolved to refer specifically to the insect stage between larva and adult (its modern meaning).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the life stage of certain insects between the larva and the adult, during which the organism is usually inactive and undergoes major reorganization (metamorphosis).
The caterpillar spun itself into a pupa and emerged weeks later as a butterfly.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/12 19:36