chrysalis

noun

chrys·​a·​lis ˈkri-sə-ləs 

plural chrysalides kri-ˈsa-lə-ˌdēz  or chrysalises

1

a

: a pupa of a butterfly

broadly : an insect pupa

b

: the hardened outer protective layer of a pupa

2

: a protecting covering

also : a sheltered state or stage of being or growth

… a budding writer could not emerge from his chrysalis too soon.

—William Du Bois

Illustration of chrysalis

• chrysalis 1

Examples of chrysalis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jess once encountered a transparent monarch chrysalis. —Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025

Read the full Gemini Daily Horoscope Cancer (June 22 - July 22) Consider the last twelve months your chrysalis era. —Usa Today, USA Today, 9 June 2025

In the coming days, the little green chrysalis will hopefully transform into an orange-and-black beauty! —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025

The password was another meaningful detail — chrysalis — referring to the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, a wink to Paige’s own transformation and rebirth. —Mary Gillen, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin chrȳsallid-, chrȳsallis, borrowed from Greek chrȳsallid-, chrȳsallís, from chrȳsós "gold" (referring to the metallic gold-like sheen of some butterfly pupae) + -allid-, -allis, noun suffix of some plant and animal names — more at chryso-

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

chrysalis

noun

chrys·​a·​lis ˈkris-ə-ləs 

plural chrysalides kris-ˈal-ə-ˌdēz  or chrysalises

ˈkris-ə-lə-səz

: the pupa of a butterfly or moth

also : the hardened outer layer of such a pupa compare cocoon sense 1