SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

purple hairstreak

noun
Save Word

Definition of purple hairstreak

: a hairstreak butterfly that has the wings marked with iridescent purple: such as
a : a European forest hairstreak (Thecla quercus)
b : a large American hairstreak (Atlides halesus) with metallic spots on the largely bluish purple to greenish wings

— called also giant purple hairstreak

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Learn More About purple hairstreak

Dictionary Entries Near purple hairstreak

purple grass

purple hairstreak

purple haw

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for purple hairstreak

Cite this Entry

“Purple hairstreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purple%20hairstreak. Accessed 19 May. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

kibosh

Listen to the pronunciation of kibosh

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Eponyms: Words Named After People

  • rubens painting
  • What is the best definition of boycott?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games