Definitions and meaning of larva
larva
English
Etymology
From Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈlɑː.və/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlɑɹ.və/
-
- Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)və
- Homophone: lava (non-rhotic)
Noun
larva (plural larvas or larvae or 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
Noun
larva
- plural of larvë
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central) [ˈlar.bə]
- IPA(key): (Balearic) [ˈlar.və]
- IPA(key): (Valencia) [ˈlaɾ.va]
Noun
larva f (plural larves)
- larva
Related terms
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], 2007 April
- “larva”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.
- “larva” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “larva” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
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), 2008–2025
Galician
Etymology
From Latin larva (“ghost-like, masked”).
Noun
larva f (plural larvas)
- larva
Related terms
Further reading
- “larva”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
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]
- (Plautine) IPA(key): [ˈɫaː.ru.a]
- (Plautine) IPA(key): [ˈlaː.ru.a]
Noun
lārva f (genitive lārvae); first declension
- (mythology) ghost, haunt, evil spirit, demon, devil
- (fantasy) hobgoblin, goblin
- (figuratively) horrific mask
- (figuratively) skeleton
Declension
First-declension noun.
Quotations
- circa 200 B.C., Plautus, Captivi, Act 3, Scene 4, line 66:
Derived terms
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
Noun
larva m or f
- definite feminine singular of larve
Norwegian Nynorsk
Alternative forms
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, 2008–2025
Anagrams
- alvar, lavar, lavra, Raval, valar, varal
Romanian
Pronunciation
Noun
larva f
- definite nominative/accusative singular of larvă
Spanish
Etymology
From Latin larva (“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
Adjective
larva m or f (masculine and feminine plural larvas)
- (colloquial, El Salvador) freeloading
- Synonym: vivián
Related terms
Further reading
- “larva”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10
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
Anagrams
Turkish
Etymology
From Latin larva.
Pronunciation
Noun
larva (definite accusative larvayı, plural larvalar)
- larva.
Synonyms
References
- Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “larva”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
- “larva”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
Source: wiktionary.org