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

Other examples provided in the statement are green sea turtles, monarch butterflies, polar bears, Canada lynxes, sage-grouse, and the Texas horn shell. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 19 July 2026

Endangered western monarch butterflies depend on pesticide-free milkweed for food. — Patrick Parenteau, The Conversation, 17 July 2026

As a bonus, monarch butterflies love liatris blooms as a nectar source9. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 15 July 2026

Toward the beginning of her film career, Zendaya wore a custom Moschino floor-length, one-shoulder, orange and yellow dress that transformed her into a monarch butterfly for the Sydney, Australia, premiere of her 2017 movie, The Greatest Showman. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 12 July 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