pupa
noun/ˈpjuːpə/
Frequency rank: #19,229 most common English word
Meaning
The life stage of an insect between larva and adult, during which it undergoes metamorphosis.

Example sentence
The caterpillar transformed into pupa inside its protective cocoon.
Synonyms & related words
Practice this word in the quiz
More words in ranks 19,201–19,300
- luminescencethe emission of light by a substance that has not been heated, as in fluorescence or bioluminescence.
- myelinA fatty white substance that forms a protective sheath around nerve fibers, speeding up the transmission of electrical signals.
- offalThe internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal, used as food.
- paratrooperA soldier trained to parachute from aircraft into combat zones.
- pumiceA light, porous volcanic rock used for smoothing or polishing skin or surfaces.
- rancorDeep, bitter resentment or ill will that lasts a long time.
- senescenceThe process of growing old; the gradual deterioration of function in an organism or cell with age.
- sublimationThe process of redirecting socially unacceptable impulses into constructive activities; also, the direct transition of a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid state.
- tadpolethe larval stage of a frog or toad, having a round body and a long tail and living in water.
- utilitarianismThe ethical theory that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people.