butterfly
Americannoun
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butterflies
plural
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any of numerous diurnal insects of the order Lepidoptera, characterized by clubbed antennae, a slender body, and large, broad, often conspicuously marked wings.
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a person who flits aimlessly from one interest or group to another.
a social butterfly.
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(used with a plural verb) butterflies, a queasy feeling, as from nervousness, excitement, etc.
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a racing breaststroke, using a dolphin kick, in which the swimmer brings both arms out of the water in forward, circular motions.
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Carpentry. butterfly wedge.
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Sculpture. an X -shaped support attached to an armature.
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one of the swinging brackets of a butterfly table.
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Movies. a screen of scrim, gauze, or similar material, for diffusing light.
verb (used with object)
adjective
noun
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any diurnal insect of the order Lepidoptera that has a slender body with clubbed antennae and typically rests with the wings (which are often brightly coloured) closed over the back Compare moth
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a person who never settles with one group, interest, or occupation for long
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a swimming stroke in which the arms are plunged forward together in large circular movements
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commerce the simultaneous purchase and sale of traded call options, at different exercise prices or with different expiry dates, on a stock exchange or commodity market
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of butterfly
First recorded before 1000; Middle English boterflye, Old English buttorflēoge; equivalent to butter + fly 1
Explanation
A butterfly is a flying insect with a small body and large, often colorful wings. Some gardeners plant specific flowers that attract butterflies. Butterflies are closely related to moths, which also have wings that are large in proportion to their bodies and antennae. A butterfly is distinctive because of its relatively large size and lovely, patterned wings. After hatching, they start as caterpillars, and eventually build a chrysalis, inside of which they transform into — and emerge as — a butterfly. The origin of butterfly isn't certain, though it may come from some butterflies' pale yellow color.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The schoolgirl was named a Games MVP on Sunday to cap an extraordinary showing that saw her scorch to gold in the 200m butterfly and do the 200m-400m individual medley double.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
The charity said strong butterfly numbers were "likely" down to favourable conditions for caterpillars in spring, followed by the hot, sunny weather enjoyed by adult butterflies during the summer months.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Other insects that had seen an increase in their numbers locally included the clouded yellow butterfly, a European migratory species known to have "peak" years during unusually hot summers.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Near her home in eastern Denmark, the aspiring lepidopterist has an early victory when she spots a small tortoiseshell butterfly, “brick red, with cream and black spots.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
He reached his square hand to the top of Chicken’s head and patted him so gently it was like a butterfly landing.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Younger students have been using the outdoor classroom areas to talk and play games, while others have been watching figeater beetles and butterflies visit flowering trees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Ms. Korsgaard draws on quite a few of them in explaining the cultural significance of butterflies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The team found 111 relevant studies involving butterflies in Bangladesh.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
He noted butterflies "do like hot and sunny weather", with the summer providing "great flying conditions for lots of species".
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
As if newly emerged from their chrysalises, the butterflies gathered their strength and began to fly.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
“The shucked abalone is trimmed, butterflied, and thwacked lightly with a mallet.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
For some dishes, a pounded-out cutlet, butterflied breast or a thin-sliced chicken breast may be the way to go.
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2022
Instead, she butterflied a pork belly and rolled it around a pork loin, fat side out.
From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2021
Lucy Campos’s finest dish may be her trucha frita, a butterflied and pan-fried piece of freshwater trout that is buttery and almost begging for a spoonful of fresh pico de gallo.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 2, 2021
Through the open doorway, I caught a glimpse of line after line of cattle carcasses, butterflied with their ribs exposed like spread fingers.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
“I came back to butterflying out of the blue - a childhood passion rekindled nine years ago at a butterfly gathering in the Blue Mountains.”
From Washington Times ● Jul. 24, 2016
Unlike the pursuit of birding, butterflying takes place at a civilized hour because butterflies don’t come out until the day warms to at least 60 degrees.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 9, 2016
Jazmin starts by butterflying a chicken thigh with a deft stroke of her knife.
From Salon ● May 21, 2012
He came butterflying and frog-kicking down the final lap of the 220-yard breaststroke race to win.
From Time Magazine Archive
July 28. brite and fair. i am going with Potter and Chick Chickering instead of Pewt and Beany. we went butterflying today.
From 'Sequil' Or Things Whitch Aint Finished in the First by Henry A. (Henry Augustus) Shute
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
