cocoon

1 of 2

noun

co·​coon kə-ˈkün 

1

a

: an envelope often largely of silk which an insect larva forms about itself and in which it passes the pupa stage

b

: any of various other protective coverings produced by animals

2

a

: something suggesting a cocoon especially in providing protection or in producing isolation

wrapped in a cocoon of blankets

an interest in the world beyond the everyday cocoon most of us construct

—Peter Mayle

b

: a protective covering placed or sprayed over military or naval equipment in storage

cocoon

2 of 2

verb

cocooned; cocooning; cocoons

transitive verb

: to wrap or envelop in or as if in a cocoon

Did you know?

Since at least the late 1600s, English speakers have been using the noun cocoon for the silky covering that surrounds a caterpillar or other insect larva in the pupa stage of metamorphosis. The word derives, via French cocon, from Occitan coucoun, which, in turn, emerged from coco, an Occitan term for "shell." Linguists believe the Occitan term was probably born of the Latin word coccum, a noun that has been translated as kermes, which refers to the dried bodies of some insects that are sometimes found on certain trees. The verb cocoon has been with us since the latter half of the 19th century.

Synonyms

Noun

• armor
• capsule
• case
• casing
• cover
• covering
• encasement
• housing
• hull
• husk
• jacket
• pod
• sheath
• shell

Verb

• bosom
• bower
• circumfuse
• embosom
• embower
• embrace
• enclose
• inclose
• encompass
• enfold
• enshroud
• enswathe
• envelop
• enwrap
• invest
• involve
• lap
• mantle
• muffle
• shroud
• swathe
• veil
• wrap

Examples of cocoon in a Sentence

Noun

The child was wrapped in a cocoon of blankets.

The movie star was surrounded by a protective cocoon of bodyguards.

Verb

Americans are spending more time cocooning at home in recent years.

cocooned in puffy down parkas, we braved the bitter cold as best we could

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The tented accommodations, designed to resemble cocoons, house spacious suites outfitted with four-poster beds, copper claw-foot tubs, and vintage leather trunks cleverly converted into minibars. —Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025

Unlike its more masculine counterparts, including the chore coat or the denim jacket, the cropped cocoon coat offsets its boxy shape with feminine details, like oversized, covered buttons; a stand-away collar; and curvy sleeves that are cropped just above the wrist. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 3 Jan. 2025

Verb

But amidst a global epidemic of loneliness, fewer people want to be cocooned in a clinic undergoing DNA testing and stem cell treatments. —Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Dec. 2024

Should your best efforts to cocoon warmth around you fail, there is, after all, a car to retreat to. —Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French cocon, from Occitan coucoun, from coco shell, probably ultimately from Latin coccum kermes (thought to be a gall or berry), from Greek kokkos berry, kermes

First Known Use

Noun

1699, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1881, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

cocoon

noun

co·​coon

kə-ˈkün

1

: an envelope usually of silk which the larva of some insects (as moths) forms about itself and in which it passes the pupa stage compare chrysalis

2

: a covering suggesting a cocoon