Pl. chrysalides or chrysalises; but chrysalids is often substituted; cf. orchids. [a. L. chrȳsallis, chrȳsalis, a. Gr. χρῡσαλλίς ‘the gold-colored sheath of butterflies,’ deriv. of χρῡσ-ός gold: cf. θρααλλίς rush-wick, f. θρύον a rush. The etymological form has -allis, but this is quite neglected in the mod. langs.]
1. The state into which the larva of most insects passes before becoming an imago or perfect insect. In this state the insect is inactive and takes no food, and is wrapped in a hard sheath or case.
1658. J. Rowland, Moufet’s Theat. Ins., Ep. Ded. Transmutations … of Catterpillers … into Chrysallides, (that shine as if leaves of gold were laid upon them) and Butterflies.
1670. Phil. Trans., V. 2078. The Chrysalis or Aurelia … which shews no parts at all of the Animal to come.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 353. When the butterfly dies, we see no chrysalis left behind.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., IV. 555. Having several chrysalises … suspended to a piece of paper.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., I. 172. A people from whom the forms and habits by which they had moved for centuries were falling like the shell of a chrysalis.
1874. Lubbock, Orig. & Met. Ins., i. 11. When full-grown, the grubs … turn into chrysalides.
2. fig. (esp. as: the shell or case whence the perfect insect bursts.)
1791. Burns, Wks., 73. Men who … must … like the caterpillar, labour a whole lifetime before they reached the wished-for height, there to roost, a stupid chrysalis.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1863), 334. She is in the real transition state, just emerging from the chrysalis.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., LXXXII. From state to state the spirit walks; And these are but the shatter’d stalks, Or ruin’d chrysalis of one.
3. attrib. and Comb.
1828. Stark, Elem. Nat. Hist., II. 368. Preparatory to undergoing their change into the chrysalis state, they construct a cocoon.
1855. Kingsley, Lett. (1878), I. 455. To get rid of walls and roofs and all the chrysalis case of humanity.
1885. H. C. McCook, Tenants Old Farm, 74. In the following spring the crysalis-skin bursts open.
Hence Chrysalism, Chrysalize v., nonce-wds. [Irregularly formed: see CHRYSALINE.]
1833. Hook, Parson’s Dau. (1847), 145. Having cast his skin, and burst from the chrysalism of a commander on half-pay into the splendid butterflyism of a barony.
1827. Carlyle, Germ. Romance, III. 229. Should the Parson ever chrysalise himself into an author.
1837. Blackw. Mag., 237. The hairy caterpillar chrysaliseth not.
