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