Adjacent Words

Chrysalis definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CHRYSALIS, n. The particular form which butterflies, moths, and some other insects assume, before they arrive at their winged or perfect state. It is called also aurelia, from aurum, gold. In this form, the animal is in a state of rest or insensibility; having no organs for taking nourishment, nor wings, nor legs. The external covering is cartilaginous, and usually smooth and glossy; sometimes hairy. The name is taken from the yellow color of certain species; but they are of different colors, as green, black, etc.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: pupa of a moth or butterfly enclosed in a cocoon

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural chrysalides or chrysalises) Etymology: Latin chrysallid-, chrysallis gold-colored pupa of butterflies, from Greek, from chrysos gold, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew ??r?? gold Date: 1601 1. a. a pupa of a butterfly; broadly an insect pupa b. the enclosing case or covering of a pupa 2. a protecting covering ; a sheltered state or stage of being or growth <a budding writer could not emerge from his chrysalis too soon — William Du Bois>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. chrysalises or chrysalides) 1 a a quiescent pupa of a butterfly or moth. b the hard outer case enclosing it. 2 a preparatory or transitional state. Etymology: L f. Gk khrusallis -idos f. khrusos gold

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Chrysalis Chrys"a*lis, n.; pl. Chrysalides. [L. chrysallis the gold-colored pupa of butterflies, Gr. ?, fr. ? gold. Cf. Aurelia.] (Zo["o]l.) The pupa state of certain insects, esp. of butterflies, from which the perfect insect emerges. See Pupa, and Aurelia (a) .

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(chrysalises) 1. A chrysalis is a butterfly or moth in the stage between being a larva and an adult. N-COUNT 2. A chrysalis is the hard, protective covering that a chrysalis has. ...a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Pupa, aurelia, nympha.