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What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly.
Richard Bach

Meaning of "butterfly" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
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ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD BUTTERFLY

Old English buttorflēoge; the name perhaps is based on a belief that butterflies stole milk and butter.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF BUTTERFLY

butterfly  [ˈbʌtəˌflaɪ] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF BUTTERFLY

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Butterfly is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES BUTTERFLY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

butterfly

Butterfly

Butterflies are a chiefly diurnal group of the order Lepidoptera. Adults have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprise the true butterflies, the skippers and the moth-butterflies. All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths. The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, 40–50 million years ago. Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees; however, some species are agents of pollination of some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies eat harmful insects. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts. Butterfly flying around a flower...

Definition of butterfly in the English dictionary

The first definition of butterfly in the dictionary is a person who never settles with one group, interest, or occupation for long. Other definition of butterfly is a swimming stroke in which the arms are plunged forward together in large circular movements. Butterfly is also 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.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH BUTTERFLY


blackfly
ˈblækˌflaɪ
blowfly
ˈbləʊˌflaɪ
botfly
ˈbɒtˌflaɪ
catchfly
ˈkætʃˌflaɪ
damselfly
ˈdæmzəlˌflaɪ
dayfly
ˈdeɪˌflaɪ
deerfly
ˈdɪəˌflaɪ
dragonfly
ˈdræɡənˌflaɪ
firefly
ˈfaɪəˌflaɪ
gadfly
ˈɡædˌflaɪ
glowfly
ˈɡləʊˌflaɪ
greenfly
ˈɡriːnˌflaɪ
horsefly
ˈhɔːsˌflaɪ
housefly
ˈhaʊsˌflaɪ
mayfly
ˈmeɪˌflaɪ
sandfly
ˈsændˌflaɪ
sawfly
ˈsɔːˌflaɪ
stonefly
ˈstəʊnˌflaɪ
test-fly
ˈtɛstˌflaɪ
whitefly
ˈwaɪtˌflaɪ

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE BUTTERFLY

butterfat cheque
Butterfield
butterfingered
butterfingers
butterfish
butterflies
butterfly ballot
butterfly bush
butterfly collar
butterfly diagram
butterfly effect
butterfly fish
butterfly knot
butterfly net
butterfly nut
butterfly stroke
butterfly valve
butterfly weed
butterflyer
butterflyfish

WORDS THAT END LIKE BUTTERFLY

barfly
black fly
briefly
brimstone butterfly
chiefly
comma butterfly
dry fly
fly
fruit fly
gruffly
let fly
on the fly
overfly
peacock butterfly
purfly
red admiral butterfly
ruffly
sea butterfly
swallowtail butterfly
tortoiseshell butterfly

Synonyms and antonyms of butterfly in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «butterfly» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF BUTTERFLY

Find out the translation of butterfly to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of butterfly from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «butterfly» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

蝴蝶
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

mariposa
570 millions of speakers

English

butterfly
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

तितली
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

فَراشَة
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

бабочка
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

borboleta
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

প্রজাপতি
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

papillon
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

rama-rama
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Schmetterling
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

チョウ
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

나비
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Kupu kupu
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

con bướm
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

பட்டாம்பூச்சி
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

फुलपाखरू
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

kelebek
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

farfalla
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

motyl
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

метелик
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

fluture
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

πεταλούδα
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

vlinder
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

fjäril
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

sommerfugl
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of butterfly

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «BUTTERFLY»

The term «butterfly» is very widely used and occupies the 6.484 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
97
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «butterfly» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of butterfly
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «butterfly».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «BUTTERFLY» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «butterfly» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «butterfly» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about butterfly

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «BUTTERFLY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word butterfly.
1
Muhammad Ali
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
2
Muhammad Ali
I would say things like 'I am the greatest! I'm pretty! If you talk jive, you'll drop in five! I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! I'm pretty!' When white people heard me talking like this, some said, 'That black man talks too much. He's bragging.'
3
Richard Bach
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly.
4
Richard Bach
The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly.
5
Drew Barrymore
Everyone is like a butterfly, they start out ugly and awkward and then morph into beautiful graceful butterflies that everyone loves.
6
Ashley Bell
Doing voiceovers is so great because even though many people would think it's just your voice, you really do use all your physicality. I've done everything from playing a butterfly to Alice in Wonderland when she's 10 feet tall, so it allows you to be an actor and build new characters.
7
Annie Besant
Death consists, indeed, in a repeated process of unrobing, or unsheathing. The immortal part of man shakes off from itself, one after the other, its outer casings, and - as the snake from its skin, the butterfly from its chrysalis - emerges from one after another, passing into a higher state of consciousness.
8
Pierre Bonnard
I should like to present myself to the young painters of the year 2000 with the wings of a butterfly.
9
Kate Bosworth
I wasn't a social butterfly at all.
10
Joyce Brothers
The cynic finds love with the idealist. The rebel with the conformist. The social butterfly with the bookworm. They help each other balance their lives.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «BUTTERFLY»

Discover the use of butterfly in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to butterfly and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Most of all, this triumphant book lets us witness an indomitable spirit and share in the pure joy of its own survival. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Jean-Dominique Bauby, 2008
2
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Describes the various stages of a monarch butterfly's life, from egg to pupa to caterpillar to butterfly, as well as its migration and dangers that it faces.
Bobbie Kalman, 2002
3
Butterfly
A simple introduction to the life cycle of the butterfly offers brief explanations of each stage in its development.
Louise Spilsbury, 2005
4
Butterfly: A Novel
She falls asleep behind a well-lit club only to be awakened by a huge intimidating man who offers her a job as a dancer. Butterfly becomes the most popular dancer in the club until she decides that she is ready to focus on her education.
Sylvester Stephens, 2013
5
Butterfly
Describes the physical characteristics and life cycle of butterflies and discusses various species.
Nancy J. Shaw, 1998
6
The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey
Written with the assistance of his daughter Hana, The Soul of a Butterfly is a compassionate and heartfelt book that will provide comfort for our troubled times.
Muhammad Ali, Hana Yasmeen Ali, 2004
7
Butterfly
Text and photographs depict the growth and development of a butterfly from birth to eight weeks old.
Mary Ling, Helen Senior, Kim Taylor, 2007
8
Fly Like a Butterfly: Yoga for Children
Introduces the philosophy and poses of yoga with the help of photographs, stories, and movement games.
Shakta Kaur Khalsa, 1998
9
Butterfly
A visual encyclopedia of butterflies and moths captures the life cycles and diverse habitats of different species of these beautiful insects.
Thomas Marent, 2008
10
I Never Saw Another Butterfly
Fifteen thousand children under the age of fifteen passed through the Terezin Concentration Camp. Fewer than 100 survived.
Hana Volavková, 1994

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «BUTTERFLY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term butterfly is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Butterfly House tours take flight for summer
HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association's Butterfly House tours have begun for 2015. The Kate Gorrie ... «NJ.com, Jul 15»
2
Evgney Koptelov Swims Worlds 2nd Fastest 200 Butterfly - Race Video
Russia's Evgney Koptelov absolutely destroyed the men's 200 butterfly, posting the second fastest time in the world this year, 1:54.79. That time ... «SwimSwam, Jul 15»
3
'Gotta start somewhere': Volunteers create butterfly waystation
Earl Davis, Marcia Taylor and Nicole Falardeau plant flowers at a Monarch Way Station in East Chicago to help the creatures as they migrate ... «nwitimes.com, Jul 15»
4
2015 Butterfly Affair nets $43000 for local cancer patients
The Butterfly Affair, a fundraiser for the The Cancer Care Fund of the Litchfield Hills was held outside of The Cancer for Cancer Care at ... «Torrington Register Citizen, Jul 15»
5
Butterfly Festival set for August 15
The Dunwoody Nature Center announces the return of the 22nd annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last year, ... «Dunwoody Crier, Jul 15»
6
Hospice Butterfly Release Date Announced
CLEARFIELD – Penn Highlands Clearfield Hospice cordially invites the public to the annual butterfly release to be held Sunday, Aug. 2, at 2 ... «Gant Daily, Jul 15»
7
Take flight with Savannah Mall butterfly exhibit
The interactive exhibit features at least 11 different types of butterflies. You can learn about the life cycle as well as migration. You can also ... «Do Savannah, Jul 15»
8
Butterfly release fundraiser for MLHS Hospice
The program welcomes donations, and one of the ways you can donate and support this service is to sponsor a monarch butterfly in memory of ... «Aitkin Independent Age, Jul 15»
9
Butterfly Tattoos – A Collection of Butterfly Tattoo Designs and Other …
People who like getting inked nowadays would want to look for new designs that are far from the usual tattoo designs that they could choose ... «Press Release Rocket, Jul 15»
10
Lepidopterists rejoice – our finest butterfly month is almost here
Here we are in July, probably the best butterfly month of the year, not least because it means we are past the June Gap. Not many people know ... «The Independent, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Butterfly [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/butterfly>. Apr 2024 ».
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