larvae etymology

Etymology:

• Latin larva ("ghost, spirit, mask")
• From Proto-Indo-European *ler- ("mask, disguise")

Meaning and Origin:

The word larvae originally meant a ghost or spirit that roamed the earth after the death of its body. In ancient times, larvae were often depicted as young children, and thus the word eventually came to be used for the immature form of an animal that looks like a small ghost.

Today, larvae is used specifically to refer to the early, wingless stage in the life cycle of many insects and other invertebrates. Larvae typically have long, slender bodies and a well-developed head. They may be aquatic or terrestrial, and they feed and grow before transforming into their adult form.

Some examples of larvae include:

• Caterpillars (larvae of butterflies and moths)
• Maggots (larvae of flies)
• Grubs (larvae of beetles)
• Tadpoles (larvae of frogs)

larvae relate terms

• larva

  Etymology The word larva derives from the Latin word larva meaning ghost or spec

• Lares

  Etymology The word lares comes from the Latin word lar meaning lord or protector

• silk

  Etymology Middle English silke from Old English seolc sioloc Proto Germanic sīdō

• rebut

  Etymology The word rebut comes from the Old French word rebouter which means to dri

• brute

  Etymology The word brute is derived from the Old French word brute which in turn com

• creature

  Etymology The word creature is derived from the Old French word creature which in tu

• animal

  Etymology The word animal comes from the Latin word animalis meaning having life o

• fauna

  Etymology The word fauna is derived from the Latin word faunus which was the name of

• tabes

  Etymology The word tabes is derived from the Latin word tabēre which means to pin

• caterpillar

  Etymology The word caterpillar has its origins in Old French where it was known as ch