Link Centre Dictionary

cocoon

co·coon

UK/kəˈkuːn/ US/kʌˈkun/ uncommon
noun (1) verb (2)

noun

1.

silky envelope spun by the larvae of many insects to protect pupas and by spiders to protect eggs

verb

1.

retreat as if into a cocoon, as from an unfriendly environment

  • “Families cocoon around the T.V. set most evenings”
  • “She loves to stay at home and cocoon”
2.

wrap in or as if in a cocoon, as for protection

Origin

From French cocon, a diminutive of coque (“shell”).

Phrases

  • brood cocoon
  • jet cocoon

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.