Main Entry: pu·pa

Pronunciation: \ˈpyü-pə\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural pu·pae \-(ˌ)pē also -ˌpī\ or pupas

Etymology: New Latin, from Latin pupa doll

Date: 1815

: an intermediate usually quiescent stage of a metamorphic insect (as a bee, moth, or beetle) that occurs between the larva and the imago, is usually enclosed in a cocoon or protective covering, and undergoes internal changes by which larval structures are replaced by those typical of the imago

— pu·pal \ˈpyü-pəl\ adjective