What does cocoon mean?
Word: Cocoon
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Cocoon means the soft, silky case that some caterpillars, such as the silkworm, spin around themselves before they turn into moths.
Synonyms: case
How do you spell cocoon?
Syllables: co - coon
Tricky part: There are three o's: one after the first c and two after the second. Children often write a after the first c, or double the c.
Watch out for: cacoon, coccoon, cocoone
Memory tip: Count the o's: one after the first c, then the double o of moon at the end, so the word has three o's in all.
Cocoon in a sentence
Example 1: The cocoon hung from a leaf for many days.
Example 2: At the silk farm we held a cocoon as light as cotton.
Example 3: Wrapped in her blanket, Anu looked like a cocoon.
Fun Fact
A silkworm cocoon is made of one long silk thread, often several hundred metres long. Silk saris begin as these threads.
Practise the CREST Way
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
oocnco
a) a hard brown nut with white flesh inside
b) a soft toy shaped like a small bear
c) a hot drink made from cocoa and milk
d) a covering of silk that protects a growing moth
Show answer
d) a covering of silk that protects a growing moth. These letters make cocoon, not coconut or cocoa, so look for the silk covering.
Sound Check
Which of the following words rhymes with cocoon?
a) common
b) coin
c) tune
d) cotton
Show answer
c) tune. Say them aloud: tune ends with the same sound as cocoon, though it is spelt une.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
The caterpillar spun its cocoon under a leaf of our nieghbour's mango tree.
a) nieghbour's
b) mango
c) cocoon
d) caterpillar
Show answer
a) nieghbour's. Neighbour puts the e before the i, and it keeps the British our at the end.
Word Champ
In which option are the given words arranged in alphabetical order?
1. cocoon 2. cocoa 3. coconut
a) 231
b) 213
c) 321
d) 123
Show answer
a) 231. All three begin with coco; then a comes before n, and n comes before o.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Where would you most likely find a silkworm cocoon?
a) on a mulberry branch
b) at the bottom of a pond
c) inside a beehive
d) inside a bird's nest
Show answer
a) on a mulberry branch
2. If a child stays 'in a cocoon' at home all holiday, the child ____.
a) plays outside all day
b) stays cosy and shut away
c) meets lots of new people
d) travels to many places
Show answer
b) stays cosy and shut away
