larva

== English == === Etymology === From Latin larva (“disembodied spirit, ghost, goblin”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈlɑː.və/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlɑɹ.və/ Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)və Homophone: lava (non-rhotic) === Noun === larva (plural larvae or larvas or (archaic) larvæ) An early stage of growth for some insects and amphibians, in which after hatching from their egg, insects are wingless and resemble a caterpillar or grub, and amphibians lack limbs and resemble fish. An animal in the aforementioned stage. A form of a recently born or hatched animal that is quite different from its adult stage. (figurative) A preliminary stage of someone or something, before it has fully matured, especially a time of growth rather than one of performance. ==== Usage notes ==== Although the plural larvas is somewhat common, it is regarded by some as incorrect. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === Raval, alvar, arval, lavra == Albanian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈlaɹ.va/ === Noun === larva plural of larvë == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern, Central) [ˈlar.bə] IPA(key): (Balearic) [ˈlar.və] IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˈlaɾ.va] IPA(key): (Northwestern) [ˈlar.ba] === Noun === larva f (plural larves) larva ==== Related terms ==== larval larvari === Further reading === “larva”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “larva”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 “larva” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “larva”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan) == Czech == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈlarva] Rhymes: -arva Hyphenation: lar‧va === Noun === larva f (relational adjective larvový, diminutive larvička) larva (animal in the larval stage of growth) domino mask Synonym: škraboška ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === “larva”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957 “larva”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989 “larva”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026 == Galician == === Etymology === From Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”). === Noun === larva f (plural larvas) larva ==== Related terms ==== larval === Further reading === “larva”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 == Indonesian == === Etymology === Internationalism, borrowed from English larva, from Latin lārva. === Pronunciation === (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /ˈlarva/ [ˈlar.fa] Rhymes: -arva Syllabification: lar‧va === Noun === larva (plural larva-larva) (chiefly biology) larva, grub (juvenile stage of metabolous insects) Synonym: tempayak === Further reading === “larva”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016 == Italian == === Etymology === From Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈlar.va/ Rhymes: -arva Hyphenation: làr‧va === Noun === larva f (plural larve) larva, grub Synonym: bruco (figurative) shadow, skeleton ==== Derived terms ==== larvale larvato larvicida === Further reading === larva in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana == Latin == === Etymology === Possibly from Lār (“Etruscan praenomen; titulary god”), usu. as Lares (“guardian deities”), but vowel length gradation unexplained. === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈɫaːr.wa] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈlar.va] (pre-classical) IPA(key): [ˈɫaː.ru.a] === Noun === lārva f (genitive lārvae); first declension spooky ghost, haunt, evil spirit, terror (figuratively) horrific mask banquet ghost: a skeleton doll with movable joints seated at the banquet table at Roman parties in a fashion that came about in the 1st century AD ==== Declension ==== First-declension noun. ==== Quotations ==== circa 200 B.C., Plautus, Captivi, Act 3, Scene 4, line 66: ==== Derived terms ==== lārvālis lārvāns lārvō ==== Descendants ==== === Verb === larvā second-person singular present active imperative of larvō (enchant) === References === === Further reading === “larva”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “larva”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers “larva”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette. == Norwegian Bokmål == === Alternative forms === larven === Noun === larva m or f definite feminine singular of larve == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Alternative forms === larven === Noun === larva m or f definite feminine singular of larve == Portuguese == === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”). === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -aɾvɐ Hyphenation: lar‧va === Noun === larva f (plural larvas) larva (early growth stage of some insects and amphibians) ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “larva”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 === Anagrams === alvar, lavar, lavra, Raval, valar, varal == Romanian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈlarva] === Noun === larva f definite nominative/accusative singular of larvă == Spanish == === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Latin lārva (“ghost-like, masked”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈlaɾba/ [ˈlaɾ.β̞a] Rhymes: -aɾba Syllabification: lar‧va === Noun === larva f (plural larvas) larva (obsolete) ghost Synonym: fantasma (colloquial, El Salvador) freeloader Synonym: vivián ==== Derived terms ==== === Adjective === larva m or f (masculine and feminine plural larvas) (colloquial, El Salvador) freeloading Synonym: vivián === Further reading === “larva”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 == Swedish == === Etymology === From Latin larva (“facemask”). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) === Verb === larva (present larvar, preterite larvade, supine larvat, imperative larva) (reflexive) to behave flippantly, childishly or ridiculously; to tramp, to footle ==== Conjugation ==== ==== Related terms ==== larv larvig === Anagrams === Alvar, lavar, valar == Turkish == === Etymology === From Latin larva. === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: lar‧va === Noun === larva (definite accusative larvayı, plural larvalar) larva. ==== Synonyms ==== kurtçuk (archaic) sürfe === References === Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “larva”, in Nişanyan Sözlük “larva”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu