Word
larvae
Phoneticslar·vae
US/ˈɫɑɹvi/
UK/lˈɑːviː/
Definition
n. the young, worm-like stage of an insect's life before it changes into its adult form. You often see them as caterpillars or maggots.
n. the active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa.
Examples
“The pond was full of mosquito larvae.”
“Gardeners often look for butterfly larvae on the underside of leaves during the spring months.”
“The success of the ecosystem depends on these aquatic larvae, which serve as a primary food source for local fish before they undergo metamorphosis into flying insects.”
Examples
simple
“The pond was full of mosquito larvae.”
contextual
“Gardeners often look for butterfly larvae on the underside of leaves during the spring months.”
complex
“The success of the ecosystem depends on these aquatic larvae, which serve as a primary food source for local fish before they undergo metamorphosis into flying insects.”
Usage
The plural form of 'larva'; follows Latin pluralization rules.
Pitfall
The larvae is growing
The larvae are growing
Larvae is the plural form; the singular form is larva.
Real-World Examples
Common in science writing
“Yet by inserting acoustic probes or burying hydrophones into the soil, it’s possible to hear the rustling cacophony of an ant’s nest, the clicks of beetle larvae communication, and the scrapes of earthworm engineering.” “Mammals feed their young with milk, birds protect and maintain nests, and ants tend developing larvae.” “After dark, the larvae rise toward the surface to feed, although they must first pass through large numbers of fish waiting to eat them.” “H13 also causes the wheat cells to produce molecules that are toxic to the larvae.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/larvae