butterfly

noun, often attributive

but·ter·fly | \ ˈbə-tər-ˌflī

Definition of butterfly

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of numerous slender-bodied diurnal lepidopteran insects including one superfamily (Papilionoidea) with broad often brightly colored wings and usually another superfamily comprising the skippers

2 : something that resembles or suggests a butterfly especially : a person chiefly occupied with the pursuit of pleasure

3 : a swimming stroke executed in a prone position by moving both arms in a circular motion while kicking both legs up and down

4 butterflies plural : a feeling of hollowness or queasiness caused especially by emotional or nervous tension or anxious anticipation

5 : a defensive move by a goalie in ice hockey executed by dropping to the knees while spreading the lower legs outward

butterfly

verb

butterflied; butterflying

Definition of butterfly (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to split almost entirely and spread apart a butterflied steak butterflied shrimp

Examples of butterfly in a Sentence

Noun

They competed in the butterfly.

Verb

Butterfly the chicken before roasting.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Some images in their Instagram feed show Dalton with a postmortem alien glaze complete with lavender pallor and fully green eyes, and with butterflies applied to her face. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Watch Fecal Matter’s Extreme, 3-Hour Beauty Routine in 7 Minutes," 28 Mar. 2019 In the finals, Kibler took home titles in the 200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 50 free and 400 free relay. — Matthew Vantryon, Indianapolis Star, "2018 IndyStar Sports Awards winter sports nominees," 23 Mar. 2018 Flowers are blooming, butterflies are swarming, and the sun is setting later each day. — Alyssa Fiorentino, House Beautiful, "This NYC Rooftop Restaurant Is Covered In Flowers And Ready For Instagram," 20 Mar. 2019 The water basin itself is inlaid with butterfly mosaics, while the surrounding glass walls and floors feature pill decals. — Christina Liao, Vogue, "Inside the World’s Most Expensive Hotel Suite, Designed by Damien Hirst," 1 Mar. 2019 Purple lights and a butterfly projection lighted the home’s exterior. — Ellen Olivier, latimes.com, "Pointed jokes and open wallets help Chrysalis Butterfly Ball raise $1.8 million to help the homeless," 4 June 2018 Cassie packed a box with fake butterflies, and Colton keeps one. — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, "The Bachelor Season Premiere Recap: Did You Know Colton's a Virgin?," 7 Jan. 2019 Areas that are now bare earth will first be planted with grass to prevent erosion, Collibee said, but are eventually to be turned into wildflower meadows to provide nutrients for key pollinators like butterflies and wild bees. — Gregory B. Hladky, courant.com, "'Unfortunately, Mother Nature Took It Away.' Sleeping Giant State Park Remains Unrecognizable As Storm Cleanup Continues," 11 July 2018 The Duchess of Sussex has previously worn Diana's aquamarine cocktail ring and a pair of gold butterfly earrings. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton Wore Princess Diana's Sapphire Earrings in Scotland," 29 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Learn how to handle raw chicken with this step-by-step guide to butterflying boneless, skinless, chicken breast. — Country Living, "How To Butterfly Chicken Video," 21 Sep. 2010 Spatchcocked chicken with fig glaze Serves 4 Also known as butterflying the bird, spatchcocking involves removing the chicken’s backbone with a pair of kitchen shears, and then flattening it before sliding it onto a hot grill. — sacbee, "It’s prime time for grilling – try these recipes," 13 June 2017 Spatchcocked chicken with fig glaze Serves 4 Also known as butterflying the bird, spatchcocking involves removing the chicken’s backbone with a pair of kitchen shears, and then flattening it before sliding it onto a hot grill. — Sacbee, sacbee.com, "It’s prime time for grilling – try these recipes," 13 June 2017 Slice pork tenderloin lengthwise to butterfly it, but don’t quite slice all the way through: The 2 pieces should remain attached. — Melissa Clark, charlotteobserver, "Keep the tender in your pork tenderloin," 6 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'butterfly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for butterfly

butterfly

noun

English Language Learners Definition of butterfly

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a kind of insect that has a long thin body and brightly colored wings and that flies mostly during the day

often disapproving : a person who goes to many parties and other social events

: a way of swimming in which the swimmer's face is in the water and the arms move together in a circular motion while the legs kick up and down also : a race in which the swimmers do the butterfly

butterfly

verb

English Language Learners Definition of butterfly (Entry 2 of 2)

: to cut (food) into two pieces that are joined along one edge so that it can be spread apart for cooking

See the full definition for butterfly in the English Language Learners Dictionary

butterfly

noun

but·ter·fly | \ ˈbə-tər-ˌflī

plural butterflies