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

Carmel-by-the-Sea and its gallery scene are a short drive south, while Pacific Grove offers Victorian architecture and monarch butterfly groves. —Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026

The critters who drop in or call the space home range from monarch butterflies, ladybugs and lizards to hummingbirds and bushtits, skunks, opossums and even the occasional mountain lion. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026

Now everyone is going to think about monarch butterflies all day. —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 13 Jan. 2026

To witness the incredible monarch butterfly migration, plan your trip between November and February. —Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for monarch butterfly

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

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