MEANING
1. Of or relating to a larva; by extension, immature or undeveloped in form, behavior, or thought.
2. Immature or undeveloped in form, behavior, or thought, rather than biologically at a larval stage.
Use it for
A form remains immature, unfinished, or biologically larval.Describe an organism or body that seems caught in an unfinished stage of development.
Words that belong together
- larval stage
- larval form
- larval tissue
- larval society
- larval ideas
- larval hopes
On the page
The specimen’s larval body pulsed beneath the translucent membrane.
The committee’s larval policies had not yet adapted to the city’s needs.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- larval
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Usage notes
The biological sense names a life stage; figurative use means immature or undeveloped and can sound dismissive. Sense 2: Figurative use is metaphorical and can be disparaging; keep the biological sense separate when discussing development.
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