monarch butterfly

American  

[mon-erk buht-er-flahy, mon-ahrk] / ˈmɒn ərk ˌbʌt ərˌflaɪ, ˈmɒn ɑrk /

noun

monarch butterflies plural

1. a large, deep-orange butterfly, Danaus plexippus, having black and white markings, the larvae of which feed on the leaves of milkweed: highly valued as a pollinator, the monarch butterfly is currently not evaluated by the IUCN, but the protection of the species and its habitat is central to several conservation efforts.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• monarch butterflies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of monarch butterfly

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Below are green grass, a monarch butterfly and Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Roswell residents know how to have fun, and the city hosts all kinds of annual festivals ranging from a summertime ice cream social and monarch butterfly celebration to outdoor movies.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 29, 2025

In North America, the monarch butterfly population fell by 90% in the last 20 years.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2024

Or makeup artist Monste Ribé, nominated for “Society of the Snow,” whose gown seemed crafted of monarch butterfly wings.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 10, 2024

I can’t decide if she had pissed off her hairdresser or is morphing into a monarch butterfly.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson