Butterfly

Butterfly ({not transcribed}) , noun

[Perh. from the color of a yellow species. Anglo-Saxon buter-flēge, buttor-fleóge; compare German butterfliege, Dutch botervlieg. See Butter, and Fly.]

[See Illust. under Aphrodite.]

(Zoology) A general name for the numerous species of diurnal Lepidoptera.

Collocations (4)

Asclepias butterfly , See under Asclepias.

Butterfly fish (Zoology) , the ocellated blenny (Blennius ocellaris) of Europe. See Blenny. The term is also applied to the flying gurnard.

Butterfly shell (Zoology) , a shell of the genus Voluta.

Butterfly valve (Mechanics) , 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.