butterfly

views updated

but·ter·fly / ˈbətərˌflī/ • n. (pl. -flies) an insect (superfamilies Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea, order Lepidoptera) with two pairs of large wings that are covered with tiny scales, usually brightly colored, and typically held erect when at rest. Butterflies fly by day, have clubbed or dilated antennae, and usually feed on nectar. ∎  a showy or frivolous person: a social butterfly. ∎  (butterflies) inf. a fluttering and nauseated sensation felt in the stomach when one is nervous. ∎  (in full butterfly stroke) [in sing.] a stroke in swimming in which both arms are raised out of the water and lifted forward together. ∎  [as adj.] having a two-lobed shape resembling the spread wings of a butterfly: a butterfly clip.• v. (-flies, -flied) [tr.] split (a piece of meat) almost in two and spread it out flat.

More From encyclopedia.com