What does imago mean?
Imago is a learned noun most often used in entomology for the mature, adult form of an insect, including the often-winged stage that follows a caterpillar's larval transformation. A newly emerged butterfly is therefore an imago, even though the word is less common than “adult” in ordinary speech. The word also has a specialized psychological use for an image or idealized representation, especially a person's image of a parent projected into adult life, a concept associated with Jungian psychoanalysis. An older and less frequent meaning of “image” or “likeness” reflects the word's Latin ancestry. Imago is useful when technical precision matters because it identifies a developmental stage rather than merely describing an animal as grown up. Outside scientific, educational, or analytical contexts, it can sound deliberately elevated or obscure.
nounThe mature or adult form of an insect, especially the stage following metamorphosis. In psychology, it can also refer to an image or idealized representation, especially a person's image of a parent in Jungian theory.
- The mature or adult form of an insect, especially the stage following metamorphosis.
- An image, likeness, or idealized representation, particularly a person's image of a parent in Jungian psychology.
"A newly emerged butterfly is an imago, the final stage of its transformation from larva."
"The chrysalis split, and a brightly coloured imago emerged."
"Her therapist explored the imago she had formed of her mother."
All three plurals are established, although imagos and imagines are especially common in entomological usage.
"Several imagos emerged from the rearing containers."
A caterpillar does not merely grow up: after metamorphosis, it emerges as an imago.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does imago come from?
Imago comes from Latin imago, imaginis, meaning “image,” “portrait,” or “likeness.” English borrowed the Latin word in the early 17th century, and later scientific usage applied it to the adult form of an insect. It also became a term in Jungian psychology. The related English words image, imagine, imagination, and imaginative belong to the same long-standing Latin word family.
Related word forms
How imago is actually used
This is a relatively uncommon, learned term outside entomology. The general sense meaning an image or likeness is now largely literary or dated, while the psychological sense is associated primarily with Jungian psychoanalysis.
Easily confused with imago
An image is a general visual representation, whereas an imago most commonly denotes the adult form of an insect or a specialized Jungian concept.