chrysalis
/ˈkrɪsəlɪs/
noun
- The hard, protective shell that a caterpillar makes around itself before it turns into a butterfly or moth.
- The caterpillar formed a chrysalis and hung from a branch.
- We carefully moved the chrysalis to a safe place in the garden.
- After two weeks, a beautiful butterfly emerged from the chrysalis.
- A time or state of growth and change, often hidden or quiet, that leads to a new form or identity.
- The company is in a chrysalis, restructuring before launching new products.
- He saw his teenage years as a chrysalis, awkward but necessary for becoming who he is.
- Her year abroad was a chrysalis, and she returned a much more confident person.