butterfly
Americannoun
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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:
People in an area that hosts many important butterfly sites are being urged to take part in a nationwide survey to help scientists understand how this year's hot weather has affected the insects.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Thatcher, his latest anointed icon, fares no better than a butterfly pinned to his mood board.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
During each solar cycle, sunspots form a "butterfly pattern."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
She said the long-term fall in butterfly populations, dating back to the 1970s, had been driven by their habitats being destroyed or degraded.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Mattie and Chase followed behind like calves, distracted by this butterfly or that bug or newly bloomed lily.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
The council says the BCP area is home to several important butterfly habitats, including Canford Heath, where rare Silver-studded Blue butterflies can be found, and Bourne Valley, which supports species such as the Large Skipper.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Butterfly Conservation's Kate Merry said it was too early to know whether recent warm weather would result in a strong year for butterflies.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Participants are asked to spend 15 minutes recording butterflies and day-flying moths they spot in gardens, parks and other green spaces.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Roy said helping the butterflies could be as easy as leaving your garden to become "messy" and "diverse".
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The light, airy butterflies I used to feel when I saw him whip their red flags, scratch the walls of my stomach.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
If you already have a chicken but it needs to be butterflied, you can refer to our tutorial here.
From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2023
My wife loved the bronzino, served whole, deboned and butterflied.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2022
Then there’s butterflied branzino, one side painted red, the other green, with sauces coaxed from guajillo mayonnaise and tomatillo and serrano, respectively.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 30, 2022
Instead, she butterflied a pork belly and rolled it around a pork loin, fat side out.
From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2021
In the larger refrigerated chambers, hooks impaled butterflied swine and cattle rimed with frost, their pale ribs gleaming in the shallow light.
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
For some butterfly watchers, even a gentle netting is too disturbing, and they advocate butterflying with special binoculars that feature a short focal point.
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
I went butterflying to-day and had good luck.
From Deer Godchild by Bernard, Marguerite
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.
