Pronunciation: (lär'vu), [key]
—pl. -vaePronunciation: (-vē). [key]
1. Entomol.the immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete metamorphosis. See illus. under metamorphosis.
2. any animal in an analogous immature form.
3. the young of any invertebrate animal.
4. larvae, Rom. Antiq.malignant ghosts, as lemures.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.