n.
Pronunciation: k ə - ' kün
Function: noun
Etymology: French cocon, from Occitan coucoun, from coco shell, probably ultimately from Latin coccum kermes (thought to be a gall or berry), from Greek kokkos berry, kermes
Date: 1679
1 a : an envelope often largely of silk which an insect larva forms about itself and in which it passes the pupa stage b : any of various other protective coverings produced by animals
2 a : something suggesting a cocoon especially in providing protection or in producing isolation <wrapped in a cocoon of blankets> <an interest in the world beyond the everyday cocoon most of us construct ― Peter Mayle> b : a protective covering placed or sprayed over military or naval equipment in storage