any of numerous diurnal insects of the order Lepidoptera, characterized by clubbed antennae, a slender body, and large, broad, often conspicuously marked wings.
a person who flits aimlessly from one interest or group to another: a social butterfly.
butterflies, (used with a plural verb)Informal. a queasy feeling, as from nervousness, excitement, etc.
a racing breaststroke, using a dolphin kick, in which the swimmer brings both arms out of the water in forward, circular motions.
Carpentry. butterfly wedge.
Sculpture. an X-shaped support attached to an armature.
one of the swinging brackets of a butterfly table.
Movies. a screen of scrim, gauze, or similar material, for diffusing light.
verb (used with object),but·ter·flied,but·ter·fly·ing.
Cooking. to slit open and spread apart to resemble the spread wings of a butterfly.
adjective Also butterflied.
Cooking. split open and spread apart to resemble a butterfly: butterfly shrimp; butterfly steak.
Origin of butterfly
before 1000; Middle English boterflye,Old English buttorflēoge.See butter, fly2
The opera charts the tragic tale of Butterfly waiting in vain for her husband to return to her.
Return of the Bunny Boiler: Fatal Attraction’s World Stage Premiere|Nico Hines|March 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For instance, when she becomes a rose, he changes into a butterfly to kiss her.
Frdric Mistral|Charles Alfred Downer
I had, indeed, seen the butterfly of the night; I had seen the man hanging, and I had seen Fledermausse.
Library of the World's Best Mystery and Detective Stories|Edited by Julian Hawthorne
Now, many people, who never throughtthought of rearing a butterfly, are giving careful attention to them in all their stages.
Three Hundred Things a Bright Boy Can Do|Anonymous
Infinitesimal grubs, newly hatched from butterfly eggs and barely six inches long, furnished them with tidbits.
Nightmare Planet|Murray Leinster
One day we were out in the fields, when she ran off in chase of a butterfly.
Ben Burton|W. H. G. Kingston
British Dictionary definitions for butterfly
butterfly
/ (ˈbʌtəˌflaɪ) /
nounplural-flies
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 backCompare moth Related adjective: lepidopteran
a person who never settles with one group, interest, or occupation for long
a swimming stroke in which the arms are plunged forward together in large circular movements
commercethe simultaneous purchase and sale of traded call options, at different exercise prices or with different expiry dates, on a stock exchange or commodity market
Word Origin for butterfly
Old English buttorflēoge; the name perhaps is based on a belief that butterflies stole milk and butter