imago

noun

ima·​go i-ˈmä-(ˌ)gō  -ˈmā- 

plural imagoes or imagines i-ˈmā-gə-ˌnēz  -ˈmä- 

-ˈmā-jə-,

-ˈma-

1

: an insect in its final, adult, sexually mature, and typically winged state

2

: an idealized mental image of another person or the self

Examples of imago in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Which brings her back to imago Dei. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2020

Social media has a way of distorting us into an imago of our worst, most extravagantly emotional selves. —WIRED, 16 Nov. 2022

The pop star as pure illusion, pure imago, pure energy state. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2022

Other species, such as grasshoppers and dragonflies, experience incomplete, or simple, metamorphosis, which involves three life stages—egg, larva or nymph, and adult or imago. —Liz Langley, National Geographic, 11 Aug. 2020

Newbell, who is Black, had spoken about imago Dei -- the idea that all humans, of all races, are made in the image and likeness of God. —Daniel Burke, CNN, 10 July 2020

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin imāgō, going back to Latin imāgin-, imāgō "representation, semblance, image entry 1"

Note: As a descriptive term for insects apparently introduced by linnaeus in Systema naturae, 12th edition, vol. 1, part 2 (Stockholm, 1767), p. 535. Linnaeus's conception was that the imago was the true representation of the creature, the earlier stages of larva (Latin larva, taken to mean "ghost") and pupa (Latin pūpa "doll") being in a sense illusory.

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

imago

noun

ima·​go im-ˈā-gō  -ˈäg-ō 

plural imagoes or imagines -ˈā-gə-ˌnēz 

-ˈäg-ə-

: an insect in its final adult, sexually mature, and usually winged state

imaginal

-ˈā-gən-ᵊl

-äg-ən-

adjective

Medical Definition

imago

noun

ima·​go im-ˈā-(ˌ)gō  -ˈäg-(ˌ)ō 

plural imagoes or imagines -ˈā-gə-ˌnēz  -ˈäg-ə- 

1

: an insect in its final, adult, sexually mature, and typically winged state

2

: image sense 2a(2)