chrysalis

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The hard case in which a caterpillar changes into a butterfly or moth.

   After several days, a butterfly emerged from the chrysalis.

2. 2
   noun

   A stage or situation from which something develops into a new, better form.

   The small startup emerged from its chrysalis as a global company.

From Latin chrysalis, variant of chrȳsallis, from Ancient Greek χρυσαλλίς (khrusallís), usually derived from χρυσός (khrusós, “gold, golden”) + -αλλ- + -ις (-is, “-id: forming feminine nouns”) but compare θρυαλλίς (thruallís) and ἀρυβαλλίς (aruballís), both believed to come from a Pre-Greek substrate on the basis of their unusual endings.

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