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

Illustration of monarch butterfly

Examples of monarch butterfly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The monarch butterfly is most renowned for its yearly odyssey. Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025 From the birds of paradise in the forests of Papua New Guinea to the monarch butterflies of Mexico, some creatures around the world are covered in vibrant colors. Irene Wright july 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025 The North American monarch butterfly also migrates over long distances using a single star as a compass, but that star is the sun, as the insect only flies during daytime. Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 June 2025 The proposal calls for a renovation of the center, as well as a 7.2-acre expansion, adding a restaurant, sports medicine clinic, pro-shop, virtual reality training center, kids’ club and monarch butterfly garden. Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for monarch butterfly

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monarch butterfly was in 1890

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Cite this Entry

“Monarch butterfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch%20butterfly. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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

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