pupa

From New Latin, from Latin pūpa.

pupa

1. Used as a specific epithet; resembling an insect in its pupal stage of development.

• Pupa

Borrowed from New Latin, from a special use of Latin pūpa (“little girl; doll, puppet”). Doublet of pupe; compare also puppet, puppy.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpjuːpə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːpə
• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

pupa (plural pupae or pupas or (archaic) pupæ)

2. (entomology) An insect in the development stage between larva and adult.

   Synonym: pupe

   • 1959 April 21, Walt Kelly, Pogo: The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips, Seattle, Wash.: Fantagraphics Books, published 2011, →ISBN, page 34:

     The public is the pupae of the purposely purblind […]

• pupa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Borrowed from Spanish popa.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpupa/ [ˈpu.pɐ]
• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

púpa (Badlit spelling ᜉᜓᜉ)

1. (nautical) the stern; the rear part of a ship or vessel

   Synonym: ulin

   Antonyms: dulong, prowa

Learned borrowing from Latin pūpa. Doublet of pop and popi

• IPA^(key): [ˈpu.pa]
• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

pupa (plural pupa-pupa)

1. pupa

• “pupa”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

pupa (plural pupas)

1. girl

   Synonym: puera

2. doll
3. pupa (of an insect)

Borrowed from New Latin, from a special use of Latin pūpa.

pupa m (genitive singular pupa, nominative plural pupaí)

1. (zoology) pupa

   Synonym: criosalaid

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “pupa”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “pupa”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “pupa”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026

Inherited from Latin pūpa. Doublet of poppa.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpu.pa/
• Rhymes: -upa
• Hyphenation: pù‧pa

pupa f (plural pupe)

1. doll (child's toy)
2. pupa
3. (regional) female equivalent of pupo (“child”)

• puppa

By surface analysis, the feminine gender form of pūpus. However, De Vaan considers the feminine form as original; see pūpus for more.^[1]

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈpuː.pa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈpuː.pa]

pūpa f (genitive pūpae); first declension

1. girl, little girl

   Synonyms: puella, puellula

2. doll, puppet
3. (New Latin) pupa (of an insect)

First-declension noun.

• “pupa”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “pupa”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “pupa”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “pupa”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

• IPA^(key): [ˈpupːa]

Considered to be of sound-symbolic origin. Compare Lithuanian pupa.

pupa f (4th declension)

1. bean

   melnās pupas ― black beans

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

pupa m sg

1. genitive singular of pups

Cognate with Latvian pupa (“bean”), from a sound-symbolic root Baltic root (see also Latvian paupt (“to swell”)) of seemingly similar formation logic to Proto-Slavic *bòbъ (“bean”).^[1]

pupà f (plural pùpos) stress pattern 2

1. bean, legume

Borrowed from Italian pupa.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpuː.pa/
• Rhymes: -uːpa

pupa f (plural pupi)

1. doll (child's toy)

• IPA^(key): /ˈpu.pa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -upa
• Syllabification: pu‧pa

Uncertain. Perhaps borrowed from German Popo. According to Pokorny, cognate with Latin puppis (possibly) and Ancient Greek πύματος (púmatos, “the last”), from a common Proto-Indo-European *pu (“turned away”) << *h₂epó (“away, off”).^[1]

pupa f (diminutive pupcia or pupka)

1. (anatomy, euphemistic, somewhat childish) bum, rear, buttocks

   Synonyms: dupa, pośladki, siedzenie, tyłek, zadek

Learned borrowing from Latin pūpa.

pupa f

1. (obsolete or dialectal, Central Greater Poland, Kalisz Voivodeship) doll, puppet

   Synonyms: kukła, lalka, (obsolete) łątka

• “pupa”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[1] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “pupa”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[2] (in Polish)
• Hieronim Łopaciński (1892), “pupa”, in “Przyczynki do nowego słownika języka polskiego (słownik wyrazów ludowych z Lubelskiego i innych okolic Królestwa Polskiego)”, in Prace Filologiczne (in Polish), volume 4, Warsaw: skł. gł. w Księgarni E. Wende i Ska, page 240

Borrowed from New Latin pupa, from special use of Latin pūpa.

• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

pupa f (plural pupas)

1. pupa (insect in its development stage between a larva and an adult)

• “pupa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “pupa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

From a Vulgar Latin *puppāre, from puppa (“breast, teat, nipple”), from Latin pūpa; or perhaps formed from a hypothetical, now lost noun *pupă in early Romanian, from this Latin word. Compare Italian poppare (“to suckle”), poppa (“boob, breast”), Catalan and Occitan popar (“to suckle”), popa (“boob, breast”). Less likely from or linked to pup (“bud”). Cognate with Albanian puth (“to kiss”).

• IPA^(key): /puˈpa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

a pupa (third-person singular present pupă, past participle pupat, third-person subjunctive pupe) 1st conjugation

1. (transitive or reciprocal, informal) to kiss

   Synonym: (literary or formal) săruta

2. (reciprocal, figurative, colloquial) to match, to coincide, make for a good fit
3. (transitive, chiefly in the negative, figurative, colloquial) to obtain or stay in possession of something desired

   Nu mai pupi tu mașină.

   You can kiss your car goodbye.

   Cu notele astea, nu pupă el bursă.

   With his grades, a scholarship is out of the question.

• pupa în bot
• pupa în cur
• pupăcios

• IPA^(key): /ˈpu.pa/
• Rhymes: -upa
• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

pupa

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of pupă (“stern”)

• IPA^(key): /ˈpu.pa/
• Rhymes: -upa
• Hyphenation: pu‧pa

pupa

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of pupă (“pupa”)

• “pupa”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2026

pupa (Cyrillic spelling пупа)

1. genitive singular of pup

• IPA^(key): /ˈpupa/ [ˈpu.pa]
• Rhymes: -upa
• Syllabification: pu‧pa

Borrowed from New Latin pupa, from special use of Latin pūpa.

pupa f (plural pupas)

1. pupa

pupa f (plural pupas)

1. bump, especially a cold sore
2. (childish) boo-boo (pain)

• “pupa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

pupa class IX (plural pupa class X)

1. haste, impatience

Compare with Ifè kpikpa, probably from a reduplication of pa (“to be red”), which follows the general pattern of the other basic color roots, which involve a duplication of monosyllabic verbs. See dúdú (“black”), a reduplication of dú (“to be dark”) and funfun, a reduplication of fun (“to be white”). Proposed to be derived from Proto-Yoruboid *-kpa

Perhaps related to Fon kpákpá (“a tree with red wood”), proposed by Westerman to be derived from Proto-Volta-Congo *pia

• IPA^(key): /k͡pū.k͡pā/

pupa

1. red; that which is red

Yoruba varieties and languages: pupa (“red”)
view map; edit data
Language family	Variety group	Variety/language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Eastern Àkókó	Ọ̀bà	Ọ̀bà Àkókó	pupa
		Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)			pupa
			Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)		pupa
		Ìjẹ̀bú			pupa
			Ìjẹ̀bú	Ìjẹ̀bú Òde	pupa
				Àgọ́ Ìwòyè	pupa
				Ìjẹ̀bú Igbó	pupa
			Rẹ́mọ	Ẹ̀pẹ́	pupa
				Ìkẹ́nnẹ́	pupa
				Ìkòròdú	pupa
				Òde Rẹ́mọ	pupa
				Ṣágámù	pupa
		Ifọ́n			pupa
			Ifọ́n		pupa
		Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)			pupa
			Òkìtìpupa		pupa
		Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)			pupa
			Mahin		pupa
			Òde Ùgbò		pupa
			Òde Etíkàn		pupa
		Oǹdó			pupa
			Oǹdó		pupa
		Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)			pupa
			Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)		pupa
	Ìtsẹkírì				dídẹ̀n
		Ìwẹrẹ			dídẹ̀n
	Olùkùmi				kpúkpán
		Ugbódù			kpúkpán
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Àdó Èkìtì	pụpa
				Òdè Èkìtì	pụpa
				Òmùò Èkìtì	pụpa
				Awó Èkìtì	pụpa
				Ìfàkì Èkìtì	pụpa
			Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	pụpa
		Òkè Igbó			pupa
			Òkè Igbó		pupa
		Western Àkókó			pupa
			Ọ̀gbàgì Àkókó		pupa
	Northwest Yoruba	Àwórì			pupa
			Èbúté Mẹ́tà		pupa
			Ìgbẹsà		pupa
			Ọ̀tà		pupa
			Agége		pupa
			Ìlogbò Erémi		pupa
		Ẹ̀gbá			pupa
			Abẹ́òkúta		pupa
		Èkó			pupa
			Èkó		pupa
		Ìbàdàn			pupa
			Ìbàdàn		pupa
		Ìbàràpá			pupa
			Igbó Òrà		pupa
		Ìbọ̀lọ́			pupa
			Òṣogbo (Òsogbo)		pupa
		Ìgbómìnà			pupa
			Ìlá Ọ̀ràngún		pupa
		Ìlọrin			pupa
			Ìlọrin		pupa
		Oǹkó	Òtù		pupa
			Ìwéré Ilé		pupa
			Òkèhò		pupa
			Ìsẹ́yìn		pupa
			Ṣakí		pupa
			Tedé		pupa
			Ìgbẹ́tì		pupa
		Ọ̀yọ́			pupa
			Ọ̀yọ́		pupa
			Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ (Ògbómọ̀sọ́)		pupa
			Ìkirè		pupa
			Ìwó		pupa
		Standard Yorùbá	Nàìjíríà		pupa
			Bɛ̀nɛ̀		kpukpa
	Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé			pupa
			Kabba		pupa
	Ede languages/Southwest Yoruba	Ana			kpikpa
			Sokode		kpikpa
		Cábɛ̀ɛ́	Cábɛ̀ɛ́ (Ìdàdú)		kpukpa
			Tchaourou		kpukpa
		Ǹcà (Ìcà, Ìncà)			kpukpa
			Baàtɛ		kpukpa
			Pira		kpukpa
			Agoua		kpukpa
			Gouka		kpukpa
		Ìdàácà			kpikpa
			Benin	Igbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)	kpikpa
				Gbómìnà (Glazwé)	kpikpa
		Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-Ìjè	Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/Ìjè	Ìkpòbɛ́	kpukpa
			Kétu/Ànàgó	Kétu	kpukpa
		Ifɛ̀	Akpáré		kpikpa
			Atakpamɛ		kpikpa
			Boko		kpikpa
			Est-Mono		kpikpa
Moretan			kpikpa
Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)			kpikpa
Kura	Awotébi		kpokpá
	Partago		kpokpɛ̃
Mɔ̄kɔ́lé			nkpa
	Kandi		nkpa
Northern Nago	Kambole		kukpã
	Manigri		kpukpã
Southern Nago	Ìsakété		kpukpa
	Ìfànyìn		kpukpa
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

pupa

1. to be red; to become red

   Synonyms: pọ́n, rẹ̀ dòdò

2. to be light in color, usually in regard to skin tone

• As one of the three basic colors of Yoruba, the others being dúdú, funfun, the color "pupa" serves as a general class for many bright or warm colors including yellow, orange, and pink.

Colors in Yoruba · àwọn àwọ̀ (layout · text)

funfun	àwọ̀ eérú	dúdú
pupa; àwọ̀ pípọ́n dòdò	àwọ̀ òrom̀bó, àwọ̀ olómi ọsàn; àwọ̀ igi, àwọ̀ ilẹ̀	àwọ̀ ìyeyè
	àwọ̀ ewé
	àwọ̀ aró rẹ́súrẹ́sú	àwọ̀ ọ̀run, àwọ̀ aró, búlúù
àwọ̀ búlúù rẹ́súrẹ́sú; àwọ̀ aró	àwọ̀ elésè àlùkò, èsè	àwọ̀ pupa rẹ́súrẹ́sú, àwọ̀ osùn