Larve

See also: larve and larvé

German[edit]

From Middle High German larve, from Latin lārva (“ghost; mask”).

IPA^(key): /ˈlarfə/, [ˈlaʁ.fə], [ˈlaɐ̯-], [ˈlaː-], [ˈlaɾ-]
IPA^(key): /ˈlarvə/ (less common; see below)
Audio (file)
Audio (Austria) (file)
The standard pronunciation is for this stem to be realised with /f/ when the preceding syllable has primary stress (as e.g. in Larven, entlarven), but with /v/ when the stress moves forward (as e.g. in larval, larviert). However, a minority of speakers may use /v/ in all prevocalic positions. Compare the same in Nerv.
Hyphenation: Lar‧ve

Larve f (genitive Larve, plural Larven)

(zoology) larva (early stage of growth for some insects and amphibians)
(Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, otherwise archaic, literary) mask
Synonym: Maske
- 1801, Friedrich Schiller, translated by Joseph Mellish, Maria Stuart, page 27:
  Verzeihung / Für diese verhaßte Larve, Königin, / Die mir zu tragen Kampf genug gekostet, / Doch der ich’s danke, daß ich mich euch nahen, / Euch Hülfe und Errettung bringen kann.
  Oh, pardon, / My gracious liege, for the detested mask, / Which it has cost me pain enough to wear; / Yet through such means alone have I the power / To see you, and to bring you help and rescue.

Declension of Larve [feminine]