Illustration of monarch butterfly
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
Examples of monarch butterfly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Special projects manager Breanna Higgins said the name comes from the monarch butterfly, which symbolizes renewal.
—
Mason Rouser, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
In January 2020, the body of a beloved nature guide who had dedicated his life to protecting the monarch butterfly was found dead in a well in Michoacán, Mexico.
—Justyna Gudzowska, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
Nationally, the population of the orange-and-black monarch butterflies, once seen during summers in the Midwest in the tens of thousands, has decreased by nearly one billion since 1990.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
There were a little more than 9,000 monarch butterflies tallied in an annual winter count, according to the Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation, down from about 200,000 in each of the last three years.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarch butterfly
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.
Mason Rouser, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
In January 2020, the body of a beloved nature guide who had dedicated his life to protecting the monarch butterfly was found dead in a well in Michoacán, Mexico.
—Justyna Gudzowska, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
Nationally, the population of the orange-and-black monarch butterflies, once seen during summers in the Midwest in the tens of thousands, has decreased by nearly one billion since 1990.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
There were a little more than 9,000 monarch butterflies tallied in an annual winter count, according to the Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation, down from about 200,000 in each of the last three years.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for monarch butterfly
Cite this Entry
“Monarch butterfly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarch%20butterfly. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share