pupa

American  

[pyoo-puh] / ˈpyu pə /

noun

plural

pupae, pupas

1. an insect in the nonfeeding, usually immobile, transformation stage between the larva and the imago.

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pupa British  

/ ˈpjuːpə /

noun

1. an insect at the immobile nonfeeding stage of development between larva and adult, when many internal changes occur See coarctate exarate obtect

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pupa Scientific  

/ pyo̅o̅′pə /

plural

pupae

1. An insect in the nonfeeding stage of development between the larva and adult, during which it typically undergoes a complete transformation within a protective cocoon or hardened case. Only certain kinds of insects, such as moths, butterflies, ants, and beetles, develop as larvae and pupae.

2. Compare imago larva nymph

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Other Word Forms

• pupal adjective

Etymology

Origin of pupa

1765–70; < New Latin, special use of Latin pūpa girl, doll, puppet. See pupil ¹, puppet

Example Sentences

Two components of the ants' natural scent profile become stronger when a pupa is fatally infected.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2025

When a caterpillar finally encases itself into a pupa, it doesn’t just grow wings and emerge as a butterfly.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2023

Then they saw a midge pupa, with its wings developed but not quite ready to fly.

From Scientific American • Dec. 20, 2022

Then she had isolated each pupa into a tiny, dry test tube.

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2022

A contemporary of Leeuwenhoek’s, Jan Swammerdam, showed that butterflies, which had been regarded as new creatures born out of the pupa, were already present within the caterpillar: their organs could be identified by dissection.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton