butterfly : Idioms & Phrases


Asclepias butterfly

  • (Zoöl.), a large, handsome, red and black butterfly (Danais Archippus), found in both hemispheres. It feeds on plants of the genus Asclepias.
Webster 1913

brush-footed butterfly

  • noun medium to large butterflies found worldwide typically having brightly colored wings and much-reduced nonfunctional forelegs carried folded on the breast
    brush-footed butterfly; nymphalid; four-footed butterfly.
WordNet

butterfly bush

  • noun tropical shrub having clusters of white or violet or yellow flowers
    buddleia.
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butterfly collector

  • noun an entomologist who specializes in the collection and study of butterflies and moths
    lepidopterologist; lepidopterist.
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butterfly effect

  • noun the phenomenon whereby a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere, e.g., a butterfly flapping its wings in Rio de Janeiro might change the weather in Chicago
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Butterfly fish

  • noun small usually brilliantly colored tropical marine fishes having narrow deep bodies with large broad fins; found worldwide
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  • (Zoöl.), the ocellated blenny (Blennius ocellaris) of Europe. See Blenny. The term is also applied to the flying gurnard.
Webster 1913

butterfly flower

  • noun any plant of the genus Schizanthus having finely divided leaves and showy variegated flowers
    poor man's orchid; schizanthus.
  • noun shrub or small tree of Dutch Guiana having clusters of pink flowers streaked with purple
    Bauhinia monandra.
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butterfly nut

  • noun a threaded nut with winglike projections for thumb and forefinger leverage in turning
    thumbnut; wing screw; wing nut; wing-nut.
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butterfly orchid

  • noun any orchid of the genus Psychopsis: spectacular large tiger-striped orchids
  • noun any orchid of the genus Oncidium: characterized by slender branching sprays of small yellow and brown flowers; often grown as houseplants
    dancing lady orchid; oncidium; butterfly orchid.
  • noun Mexican epiphytic orchid having pale green or yellow-green flowers with white purple-veined lip
    Encyclia venosa; butterfly orchid; Epidendrum venosum.
  • noun orchid of Florida and the Bahamas having showy brightly colored flowers; sometimes placed in genus Epidendrum
    Epidendrum tampense; Encyclia tampensis.
  • noun Mediterranean orchid having usually purple flowers with a fan-shaped spotted or striped rose-red lip
    butterfly orchid; Orchis papilionaceae.
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butterfly orchis

  • noun Mexican epiphytic orchid having pale green or yellow-green flowers with white purple-veined lip
    Encyclia venosa; butterfly orchid; Epidendrum venosum.
  • noun Mediterranean orchid having usually purple flowers with a fan-shaped spotted or striped rose-red lip
    butterfly orchid; Orchis papilionaceae.
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butterfly pea

  • noun vine of tropical Asia having pinnate leaves and bright blue flowers with yellow centers
    Clitoria turnatea; blue pea.
  • noun large-flowered wild twining vine of southeastern and central United States having pale blue flowers
    Clitoria mariana.
  • noun large-flowered weakly twining or prostrate vine of New Jersey to tropical eastern North America, sometimes cultivated for its purple and white flowers
    Centrosema virginianum.
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butterfly plant

  • noun orchid having large elliptic to obovate fleshy leaves and fragrant pink-and-white flowers dotted with red
    Phalaenopsis amabilis.
  • noun any orchid of the genus Oncidium: characterized by slender branching sprays of small yellow and brown flowers; often grown as houseplants
    dancing lady orchid; oncidium; butterfly orchid.
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butterfly ray

  • noun a stingray with a short tail and a broad fin
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Butterfly shell

  • (Zoöl.), a shell of the genus Voluta.
Webster 1913

butterfly stroke

  • noun a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down
    butterfly.
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Butterfly valve

  • noun a valve in a carburetor that consists of a disc that turns and acts as a throttle
WordNet
  • (Mech.), a kind of double clack valve, consisting of two semicircular clappers or wings hinged to a cross rib in the pump bucket. When open it somewhat resembles a butterfly in shape.
Webster 1913

butterfly weed

  • noun erect perennial of eastern and southern United States having showy orange flowers
    Indian paintbrush; pleurisy root; chigger flower; tuber root; chiggerflower; Asclepias tuberosa; orange milkweed.
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butterfly-shaped

  • adjective satellite shaped like a butterfly
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Cabbage butterfly

  • noun white butterfly whose larvae (cabbageworms) feed on cabbage
WordNet
  • (Zoöl.), a white butterfly (Pieris rapæ of both Europe and America, and the Allied P. oleracea, a native American species) which, in the larval state, devours the leaves of the cabbage and the turnip. See Cabbage worm, below.
Webster 1913

Comma butterfly

  • noun anglewing butterfly with a comma-shaped mark on the underside of each hind wing
    Polygonia comma; comma.
WordNet
  • (Zoöl.), an American butterfly (Grapta comma), having a white comma-shaped marking on the under side of the wings.
Webster 1913

danaid butterfly

  • noun large tropical butterfly with degenerate forelegs and an unpleasant taste
    danaid.
WordNet

Elm butterfly

  • (Zoöl.), one of several species of butterflies, which, in the caterpillar state, feed on the leaves of the elm (esp. Vanessa antiopa and Grapta comma). See Comma butterfly, under Comma.
Webster 1913

emperor butterfly

  • noun large richly colored butterfly
    emperor.
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four-footed butterfly

  • noun medium to large butterflies found worldwide typically having brightly colored wings and much-reduced nonfunctional forelegs carried folded on the breast
    brush-footed butterfly; nymphalid; four-footed butterfly.
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greater butterfly orchid

  • noun south European orchid with dark green flowers that are larger and less fragrant than Platanthera bifolia; sometimes placed in genus Habenaria
    Habenaria chlorantha; Platanthera chlorantha.
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hairstreak butterfly

  • noun small butterflies having striped markings under the wings
    hairstreak.
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Leaf butterfly

  • (Zoöl.), any butterfly which, in the form and colors of its wings, resembles the leaves of plants upon which it rests; esp., butterflies of the genus Kallima, found in Southern Asia and the East Indies.
Webster 1913

lesser butterfly orchid

  • noun south European orchid having fragrant greenish-white flowers; sometimes placed in genus Habenaria
    Platanthera bifolia; Habenaria bifolia.
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lycaenid butterfly

  • noun any of various butterflies of the family Lycaenidae
    lycaenid.
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milkweed butterfly

  • noun large migratory American butterfly having deep orange wings with black and white markings; the larvae feed on milkweed
    milkweed butterfly; monarch; Danaus plexippus.
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monarch butterfly

  • noun large migratory American butterfly having deep orange wings with black and white markings; the larvae feed on milkweed
    milkweed butterfly; monarch; Danaus plexippus.
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mourning cloak butterfly

  • noun of temperate regions; having dark purple wings with yellow borders
    Nymphalis antiopa; mourning cloak; Camberwell beauty.
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nymphalid butterfly

  • noun medium to large butterflies found worldwide typically having brightly colored wings and much-reduced nonfunctional forelegs carried folded on the breast
    brush-footed butterfly; nymphalid; four-footed butterfly.
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Peacock butterfly

  • noun European butterfly having reddish-brown wings each marked with a purple eyespot
    peacock; Inachis io.
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  • (Zoöl.), a handsome European butterfly (Hamadryas Io) having ocelli like those of peacock.
Webster 1913

pierid butterfly

  • noun any of numerous pale-colored butterflies having three pairs of well-developed legs
    pierid.
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ringlet butterfly

  • noun any of various butterflies belonging to the family Satyridae
    ringlet.
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sea butterfly

Sea" but"ter*fly`
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A pteropod.
Webster 1913

southern cabbage butterfly

  • noun common North American form of cabbage butterfly
    Pieris protodice.
WordNet

Spirit butterfly

  • (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of delicate butterflies of tropical America belonging to the genus Ithomia. The wings are gauzy and nearly destitute of scales.
Webster 1913

sulfur butterfly

  • noun any of numerous yellow or orange butterflies
    sulfur butterfly.
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sulphur butterfly

  • noun any of numerous yellow or orange butterflies
    sulfur butterfly.
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Thistle butterfly

  • (Zoöl.), a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; called also painted lady.
Webster 1913

Tortoise-shell butterfly

  • (Zoöl.), any one of several species of handsomely colored butterflies of the genus Aglais, as A. Milberti, and A. urticæ, both of which, in the larva state, feed upon nettles.
Webster 1913

tortoiseshell butterfly

  • noun brilliantly colored; larvae feed on nettles
    tortoiseshell.
WordNet