but·ter·fly (b t  r-fl  )n. 1. Any of various insects of the order Lepidoptera, characteristically having slender bodies, knobbed antennae, and four broad, usually colorful wings. 2. A person interested principally in frivolous pleasure: a social butterfly. 3. Sports a. A swimming stroke in which a swimmer lying face down draws both arms upward out of the water, thrusts them forward, and draws them back under the water in an hourglass design while performing a dolphin kick. b. A race or a leg of a race in which this stroke is swum. 4. butterflies A feeling of unease or mild nausea caused especially by fearful anticipation. tr.v. but·ter·flied, but·ter·fly·ing, but·ter·flies To cut and spread open and flat, as shrimp. [Middle English butterflye, from Old English butorfl  oge : butor, butere, butter; see butter + floge, fly; see fly2.]Word History: Is a butterfly named for the color of its excrement or because it was thought to steal butter? It is hard to imagine that anyone ever noticed the color of butterfly excrement or believed the insect capable of such theft. The first suggestion rests on the fact that an early Dutch name for the butterfly was boterschijte. The second is based on an old belief that the butterfly was really a larcenous witch in disguise. |
butterfly [ˈbʌtəˌflaɪ]
n pl -flies
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) 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 Related adjective lepidopteran
2. a person who never settles with one group, interest, or occupation for long
3. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Swimming, Water Sports & Surfing) a swimming stroke in which the arms are plunged forward together in large circular movements
4. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Stock Exchange) 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
[Old English buttorflēoge; the name perhaps is based on a belief that butterflies stole milk and butter]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  butterfly - diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wingslepidopteran, lepidopteron, lepidopterous insect - insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales brush-footed butterfly, four-footed butterfly, nymphalid, nymphalid butterfly - medium to large butterflies found worldwide typically having brightly colored wings and much-reduced nonfunctional forelegs carried folded on the breast ringlet butterfly, ringlet - any of various butterflies belonging to the family Satyridae danaid, danaid butterfly - large tropical butterfly with degenerate forelegs and an unpleasant taste pierid, pierid butterfly - any of numerous pale-colored butterflies having three pairs of well-developed legs sulfur butterfly, sulphur butterfly - any of numerous yellow or orange butterflies lycaenid, lycaenid butterfly - any of various butterflies of the family Lycaenidae |
| 2. |  butterfly - a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and downswimming stroke - a method of moving the arms and legs to push against the water and propel the swimmer forward dolphin kick - a swimming kick; an up and down kick of the feet together | |
| Verb | 1. | butterfly - flutter like a butterfly |
| 2. | butterfly - cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking; "butterflied shrimp" cookery, cooking, preparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat; "cooking can be a great art"; "people are needed who have experience in cookery"; "he left the preparation of meals to his wife" spread, unfold, open, spread out - spread out or open from a closed or folded state; "open the map"; "spread your arms" | |
| 3. | butterfly - talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions; "The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries"; "My husband never flirts with other women" talk, speak - exchange thoughts; talk with; "We often talk business"; "Actions talk louder than words" wanton - engage in amorous play vamp - act seductively with (someone) |
butterfly noun
Related words
adjective lepidopterous
young caterpillar, chrysalis or chrysalid
enthusiast lepidopterist
adjective lepidopterous
young caterpillar, chrysalis or chrysalid
enthusiast lepidopterist
Butterflies and moths
apollo, argus, bag moth (N.Z), bagworm moth, bell moth, bogong or bugong, brimstone, brown-tail moth, buff-tip moth, cabbage white, Camberwell beauty or (U.S.) mourning cloak, cardinal, carpenter moth, carpet moth, cleopatra, comma butterfly, copper, cecropia moth, cinnabar, clearwing or clearwing moth, Clifden nonpareil, codlin(g) moth, death's-head moth, drinker moth or drinker, egger or eggar, ermine moth or ermine, festoon, ghost moth, gipsy moth, goldtail moth or yellowtail (moth), grass moth, grayling, hairstreak, herald moth, hawk moth, sphinx moth, or hummingbird moth, house moth, Io moth, Kentish glory, kitten moth, lackey moth, lappet moth, large white or cabbage white, leopard moth, lobster moth, luna moth, magpie moth, marbled white, monarch, mother-of-pearl moth, Mother Shipton, old lady, orange-tip, painted lady, peacock butterfly, peppered moth, privet hawk, processionary moth, purple emperor, puss moth, red admiral, red underwing, ringlet, silver-Y, skipper, small white, snout, speckled wood, swallowtail, swift, tapestry moth, thorn (moth), tiger (moth), tussock moth, two-tailed pasha, umber (moth), vapourer moth, wave (moth), wax moth, honeycomb moth, or bee moth, wall brown, white, white admiral, winter moth, yellow, yellow underwing Translations
butterfly [ˈbʌtəflaɪ]
butterfly
butterfly:
n
→ Schmetterling m; I’ve got/I get butterflies (in my stomach) → mir ist/wird ganz flau im Magen (inf), → mir ist/wird ganz mulmig zumute or zu Mute (inf)
(Swimming) → Schmetterlingsstil m, → Butterfly m; can you do the butterfly? → können Sie Butterfly or den Schmetterlingsstil?
butterfly:
butterfly bandage
n → Pflasterzugverband m
butterfly kiss
n → Schmetterlingskuss m
butterfly net
n → Schmetterlingsnetz nt
butterfly nut
n → Flügelmutter f
butterfly stroke
n → Schmetterlingsstil m, → Butterfly m
butterfly [ˈbʌtəˌflaɪ] n
butterfly [ˈbʌtəˌflaɪ] n
b. (Swimming) (also butterfly stroke) → (nuoto a) farfalla
butterfly [ˈbʌtəˌflaɪ] n
b. (Swimming) (also butterfly stroke) → (nuoto a) farfalla
n butterfly [ˈbatəflai]
a type of insect with large (often coloured) wings. skoenlapper فَراشَه пеперуда motýl sommerfugl der Schmetterling πεταλούδα mariposa liblikas پروانه perhonen papillon פַּרפַּר तितली leptir lepke kupu-kupu fiðrildi farfalla 蝶 나비 drugelis tauriņš rama-rama vlinder sommerfugl motyl borboleta fluture бабочка motýľ metulj leptir fjäril ผีเสื้อ kelebek 蝴蝶 метелик تتلی con bướm 蝴蝶
butterfly → فراشة motýl sommerfugl Schmetterling πεταλούδα mariposa perhonen papillon leptir farfalla チョウ 나비 vlinder sommerfugl motyl borboleta бабочка fjäril ผีเสื้อ kelebek con bướm 蝴蝶
How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|