Larva Definition, Usage & Examples in Biology

Meaning 1：immature form (larva)

larva 🔊

/ˈlɑːrvə/

The young form of an insect before it changes into its adult form, like a caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly.

Larva example: a green caterpillar feeding on a leaf, illustrating the insect juvenile stage.

immature form 🔊

➕

/ˌɪməˈtʃʊr fɔːrm/

The juvenile, wingless, and often worm-like feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete metamorphosis, distinctly different from its adult form.

📁 Category：Animal Protection 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'larva', meaning 'ghost, mask', likely referencing the hidden, transformative stage of an insect.

💡 Mnemonic

LARVA in a LEAF: An early stage insect LURking in VegetAtion.

📖 Example

The child carefully placed the caterpillar, which is the larva of a butterfly, back on the leaf after observing it. 🔊 The child carefully placed the caterpillar, which is the immature form of a butterfly, back on the leaf after observing it.

🔗 Collocations

insect larva – The juvenile stage of an insect.

larval stage – The period in an insect's life cycle when it is in the larva form.

hatch from a larva – To emerge from the larval stage (typically into a pupa or adult).

🔄 Synonyms

caterpillar (n.) – The larva of a butterfly or moth.

grub (n.) – A larva, especially of a beetle; often used for thick, short larvae found in soil.

maggot (n.) – The soft-bodied, legless larva of a fly.

🚫 Antonyms

adult (n.) – The fully developed, mature form of an insect, capable of reproduction.

imago (n.) – The final, adult stage of an insect after metamorphosis.

🌱 Derivatives

larval (adj.) – Relating to or in the stage of being a larva.

larvicide (n.) – A substance used to kill larvae.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'larva' originates from Latin, where it meant 'ghost' or 'mask'. This reflects the transformative nature of insects; the larval stage acts as a 'mask' that hides the future adult form, which emerges dramatically through metamorphosis.