larva
noun
lar·va
| \ ˈlär-və
\
\
plural larvae\ ˈlär-(ˌ)vē
, -ˌvī \
also larvas
, -ˌvī \
also larvas
Definition of larva
1
: 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
2
: 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
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Other Words from larva
larval
\ ˈlär-vəl
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of larva in a Sentence
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
According to the Weather Service, the life cycle of a mayfly starts out as a larva that resides on river or lake bottoms. — Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, "Weather radar captures billions of mayflies hatching on Lake Erie," 5 July 2019 Most larger fish broadcast their eggs into the sea and let currents spread them far and wide—a hedging strategy that ensures there will always be a few larvae floating around to replenish a population if a disaster strikes. — Jennifer Hayes, National Geographic, "Coral reefs depend on lots of fish the size of jellybeans," 23 May 2019 Small studies suggest that these ingredients can affect coral’s ability to reproduce by harming or killing coral larvae and even reduce its life span and immunity. — Jessica Chia, Allure, "The Sunscreen Glossary: A Comprehensive Guide to Everything You Need to Know About SPF," 4 May 2019 The cicada stays alive underground while that egg hatches and the larva feeds off of its host, slowly killing it. — Weldon B. Johnson, azcentral, "Cicadas are buzzing. Does that mean Arizona's monsoon storms are coming?," 18 July 2019 The larvae are expected to grow into adult beetles this fall. — Rachel Berry, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Zoo provides a new home for smuggled beetles and tarantulas," 3 July 2019 The ravenous larvae then feed on their victims’ keratin, tissue and blood, eventually moving from the nares to feed externally on the developing birds. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Parasites Are Ruining the Lovesongs of Darwin’s Finches," 13 June 2019 Furtive childhood All this parental investment would be of little avail if the larvae were swept away from the reef by strong currents. — Jennifer Hayes, National Geographic, "Coral reefs depend on lots of fish the size of jellybeans," 23 May 2019 The collective movement of all the segments causes the larva to turn. — Quanta Magazine, "Smarter Parts Make Collective Systems Too Stubborn," 26 Feb. 2019These 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.
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More Definitions for larva
larva
noun
English Language Learners Definition of larva
: a very young form of an insect that looks like a worm
See the full definition for larva in the English Language Learners Dictionary
larva
noun
lar·va
| \ ˈlär-və
\
\
plural larvae\ -vē \
Kids Definition of larva
1
: a young wingless form (as a grub or caterpillar) of many insects that hatches from an egg
2
: an early form of any animal (as a frog) that at birth or hatching is very different from its parents
larva
noun
lar·va
| \ ˈlär-və
\
\
plural larvae\ -(ˌ)vē
, -ˌvī
\
also larvas
, -ˌvī
\
also larvas
Medical Definition of larva
1
: 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 from which the adult emerges
2
: 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
Other Words from larva
larval
\ -vəl
\
adjective
\
adjective
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