larva

larva definition - medical

lar·va (lärˈvə)

noun pl. lar·vas or lar·vae (-vē)
  1. The newly hatched, wingless, often wormlike form of many insects before metamorphosis.
  2. The newly hatched, earliest stage of any of various animals that undergo metamorphosis, differing markedly in form and appearance from the adult.

Related Forms:

  • larˈval adjective

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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