Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "cocoon" []

  • A protective case of silk or similar fibrous material spun by the larvae of moths and other insects that serves as a covering for their pupal stage. (noun)
  • A similar natural protective covering or structure, such as the egg case of a spider. (noun)
  • A protective plastic coating that is placed over stored military or naval equipment. (noun)
  • Something suggestive of a cocoon in appearance or purpose: "a congressionally mandated process that will gradually strip these institutions of a cocoon of regulations” ( Edward Meadows). (noun)
  • To envelop in or as if in a cocoon, as for protection from a harsh or unfriendly environment. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "cocoon" in a sentence
  • "He resigned on principle so that he could not be trapped in what he termed the cocoon of collective responsibility to defend or toe the government line."
  • "Mike Dukakis share a similar handicap that I call the "cocoon syndrome.""
  • "While it would be nice to actually get some reading done during the commute on a train, it's also kind of nice to have the little automobile bubble around you, where you can set your own music and temperature and get a little cocoon from the crazies."