n.
Pronunciation: ' pyü-p ə
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural pu · pae \ -( ˌ )p ē also - ˌ p ī \ or pupas
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin pupa doll
Date: 1815
: an intermediate usually quiescent stage of a metamorphic insect (as a bee, moth, or beetle) that occurs between the larva and the imago, is usually enclosed in a cocoon or protective covering, and undergoes internal changes by which larval structures are replaced by those typical of the imago
– pu · pal \ ' pyü-p ə l \ adjective