butterfly orchid
Americannoun
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an epiphytic South American orchid, Oncidium papilio, having large yellow and reddish-brown flowers.
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either of two terrestrial Old World orchids, Habenaria chlorantha or H. bifolia, having long clusters of greenish-white flowers.
Etymology
Origin of butterfly orchid
First recorded in 1590–1600
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.
Half the UK's greater butterfly orchids have been lost in the last 50 years.
From BBC
The others are intermediate wintergreen, lesser butterfly orchid and small cow-wheat.
From BBC
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.