monarch butterfly

noun

: a large migratory American butterfly (Danaus plexippus) that has orange-brown wings with black veins and borders and a larva that feeds on milkweed

Illustration of monarch butterfly

Examples of monarch butterfly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to monarch butterflies, it's beloved by many pollinators—and its beautiful orange blooms always put on a show. — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 3 July 2026

These aphids primarily target milkweed plants, so treating infestations can harm the pollinators that depend on milkweed for survival, including monarch butterflies and bees. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2026

As their chants echoed through the numerous subdivisions along their path, many who walked wore monarch butterfly insignias, a symbol for migrants because of the butterflies’ cross-border migration. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 9 June 2026

Since 2021, Solana Beach has also participated in the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge to support monarch butterflies by maintaining a pollinator garden at City Hall. — Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for monarch butterfly

• canaliculi
• dwi
• micronuclei
• oversimplify
• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli

Kids Definition

monarch butterfly

noun

: a large orange and black American butterfly that migrates in large numbers in the spring and fall and whose larva feeds on milkweed