Definitions for butterfly
ˈbʌt ərˌflaɪbut·ter·fly

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. butterfly(noun)

   diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings

2. butterfly, butterfly stroke(verb)

   a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down

3. butterfly(verb)

   flutter like a butterfly

4. butterfly(verb)

   cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking

   "butterflied shrimp"

5. chat up, flirt, dally, butterfly, coquet, coquette, romance, philander, mash(verb)

   talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions

   "The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries"; "My husband never flirts with other women"

Wiktionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. butterfly(Noun)

   A flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from moths by their diurnal activity and generally brighter colouring.

2. butterfly(Noun)

   Someone seen as being unserious and (originally) dressed gaudily; someone flighty and unreliable.

3. butterfly(Noun)

   The butterfly stroke.

4. butterfly(Noun)

   A use of surgical tape, cut into thin strips and placed across an open wound to hold it closed.

   butterfly tape

5. butterfly(Verb)

   To cut almost entirely in half and spread the halves apart, in a shape suggesting the wings of a butterfly.

6. butterfly(Verb)

   To cut strips of surgical tape or plasters into thin strips, and place across a gaping wound to close it.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Butterfly(noun)

   a general name for the numerous species of diurnal Lepidoptera

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Butterfly

   A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies, the skippers and the moth-butterflies. All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths. The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, 40–50 million years ago. Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees; however, some species are agents of pollination of some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies eat harmful insects. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. butterfly

   A type of insect.

   Butterflies are so beautiful to watch as they dance together in pairs.

   Submitted by MaryC on April 15, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'butterfly' in Nouns Frequency: #2800

Anagrams for butterfly »

1. flutterby

How to pronounce butterfly?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say butterfly in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of butterfly in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of butterfly in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of butterfly in a Sentence

1. Eric Johnson:

   Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee; I got Parkinson’s, it ain’t got me.

2. Holly Phillips:

   This checklist of 10 reasons your internal thermostat is out of whack can help you get a handle on why you're chronically freezing your butt off. You're too thin Low body weight — defined as a BMI hovering around 18.5 or under — can chill you out for a couple of reasons. First, when you're underweight, you lack an adequate level of body fat to insulate you from cold temperatures, explained Maggie Moon, RD, a Los Angeles – based nutritionist. The other thing is, to maintain that low BMI, you have to reduce your food intake so you likely aren't eating very much at all. Skimping on calories puts the brakes on your metabolism, so you don't create enough body heat. Consider putting on a few pounds by loading up on whole, healthy foods that contain lots of protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates. RELATED : Subtle Signs of Eating Disorders Your Thyroid is out of whack Add cold intolerance to the long list of health issues you can blame on the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. Always being cold is a telltale sign of hypothyroidism, which means Your Thyroid doesn't secrete enough thyroid hormone.

3. Matshona Dhliwayo:

   The caterpillar's end is the butterfly's beginning.

4. Andre Simpson:

   We did analysis on the butterfly. It felt rubbery to touch, with a waxy surface that repelled water.

5. Josh Gad:

   Fly like a butterfly.

Images & Illustrations of butterfly

Popularity rank by frequency of use