pu ‧ pa /ˈpjuːpə/ BrE AmE noun ( plural pupae /-piː/ also pupas American English ) [countable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: Modern Latin ; Origin: Latin , 'girl, doll' ]
an insect at the stage before it becomes adult, when it is protected by a special cover:
moth pupae
—pupal adjective [only before noun] :
the pupal stage