larvae
幼虫
解説 Definition
larvae は larva（幼虫）の複数形です。昆虫や一部の動物の、成体になる前の若い段階を指す科学的・説明的な語です。
Larvae are the young, immature forms of insects and certain other animals before they develop into adults. The word is the plural form of larva and is common in scientific or descriptive contexts.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
larvae は larva「幼虫」の複数形です。ラテン語由来の不規則な変化で、語尾が -a から -ae に替わり、一般に「ラーヴィー」のように発音します。one larva, several larvae と対にし、葉の裏や水中に複数の幼虫がいる場面で覚えましょう。形容詞は larval です。
Larvae is the plural of larva, meaning the immature stage of an insect or certain other animals. Because the word comes through Latin, it does not take the regular plural ending -s: the final -a changes to -ae. Pair one larva with several larvae, and picture several small creatures living in water or under leaves before becoming adults. The usual pronunciation also changes: larva ends with an “uh” sound, while larvae commonly ends like “vee.” The related adjective larval appears in phrases such as larval stage and larval development.
例文
The larvae live in the water for several days.
その幼虫は数日間、水の中で生活します。
We found small larvae under the leaves.
葉の裏に小さな幼虫を見つけました。
The scientist counted the larvae in each sample.
科学者は各サンプルの幼虫を数えました。
larvae の類義語・関連語
larvae の語源・成り立ち Etymology
larvae は larva の複数形で、語源はラテン語 larva「仮面、亡霊」です。成虫と違う姿が本体を“隠す仮面”のようだとしてリンネが生物学に用い、「幼虫」の意味が定着しました。関連語は larva, larval です。
Larvae is the Latin plural form of larva. Latin larva meant a ghost, specter, or mask. The naturalist Carl Linnaeus adopted larva as a biological term for a young animal whose form seems to conceal or mask the adult it will become. English retained the learned Latin plural larvae, although larvas is occasionally found in less formal use. The related adjective is larval.
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