Larve

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

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• Audio (Austria)

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• 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)

1. (zoology) larva (early stage of growth for some insects and amphibians)
2. (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.

• “Larve” in Duden online
• “Larve” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Larve on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de
• Larve (Maske) on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de