A cocoon is a protective case that some insects, like moths, spin around themselves while they change into adults. It is usually made of silk or other fine threads.
“Cocoon” comes from French “cocon,” meaning “egg case of insects,” which likely came from a word for “shell” or “husk.” It entered English in the 17th century along with scientific interest in silk and insects.
We use “cocoon” metaphorically to mean safe isolation, but for an insect it’s an intense transformation chamber. Inside that cozy shell, the caterpillar’s body breaks down and reorganizes into something completely different—a real biological reboot.
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