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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 of cocoon
Examples of cocoon in a Sentence
Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 7 June 2026
Food and drink While there are great choices in the neighborhood, most guests seem to cocoon themselves here, and why not?
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Occupiers of apartments and houses had grown used to all these sounds, which, far from disturbing their sleep, cocooned it.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
But others enjoy seeing drivers add personality into a sport where emotion is often hard to spot during on-track sessions, because the drivers are cocooned in safety equipment for their own good.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 22 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cocoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocoon. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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