painted lady
Americannoun
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a butterfly, Vanessa cardui, one of the most widespread butterflies in the world, having brownish-black and orange wings with four eyespots on each hindwing.
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Often Painted Lady a Victorian or Edwardian house painted in at least three colors to enhance the intricate exterior detailing.
Our painted lady is an 1868 Victorian with peach clapboards, periwinkle doors, and ornate features in white and pearl gray.
noun
Etymology
Origin of painted lady
First recorded in 1690–1700 painted lady for 1, 1975–80 painted lady for 2
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.
Westmore got fired from her job, got death threats, got marriage proposals, and, along with her painted lady, got a permanent place in L.A. lore.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2024
However, some painted lady butterfly swarms have grown as large as 70 miles across, enough to be picked up by weather radar.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2022
You can check out which native plants in your region appeal to the painted lady at nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 21, 2021
Nearly everybody has heard of the amazing migrations of the monarch butterflies, but there is another butterfly that is a phenomenal migrator — painted lady butterflies.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 27, 2021
She looked first at me, then at the painted lady.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
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.
