# larva

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlɑː.və/ · frequency rank #29,341

## Definitions
1. An early stage of growth for some insects and amphibians, in which after hatching from their egg, insects are wingless and resemble a caterpillar or grub, and amphibians lack limbs and resemble fish.
2. An animal in the aforementioned stage.
3. A form of a recently born or hatched animal that is quite different from its adult stage.
4. A preliminary stage of someone or something, before it has fully matured, especially a time of growth rather than one of performance.

## Etymology
From Latin larva (“disembodied spirit, ghost, goblin”).

## Easily confused with
- **lav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-lav)
- **lava** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-lava)
- **lira** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-lira)
- **lyra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-lyra)
- **Lora** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-lora)
- **Laura** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-laura)
- **Lorna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-lorna)
- **Layla** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-layla)
- **Laval** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-laval)
- **larvae** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-larvae)
- **Latvia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-latvia)
- **larval** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-larval)
- **laver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/larva-vs-laver)
- **lar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lar-vs-larva)
- **Lana** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lana-vs-larva)
- **Lara** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lara-vs-larva)
- **lama** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lama-vs-larva)
- **Lars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lars-vs-larva)
- **lark** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lark-vs-larva)
- **lard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lard-vs-larva)

## Common misspellings (7)
`alrva`, `larav`, `larrva`, `larvva`, `lavra`, `llarva`, `lrava`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/larva