Illustration of red admiral
red admiral
noun
: a nymphalid butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) that is common in both Europe and America, has broad orange-red bands on the forewings, and feeds chiefly on nettles in the larval stage
Examples of red admiral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Native throughout North America, hops are most famously used for beer-making, but they can also be brewed into hot teas, and their flowers are highly attractive to butterflies like the red admiral.
—
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Small children were wide-eyed and giggly when a delicate red admiral landed on their shoulder, or when a brightly colored monarch softly touched down on a young lady’s nose.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022
Known to entomologists as , the red admiral is mostly black, with white spots near the wing tips, orange bands on the hind wings, and a bright red band on the forewing.
—Dan Southerland, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2020
Queen, Gulf fritillary, black swallowtail, giant swallowtail, sulfur, red admiral, American beauty and other species of butterflies are flying right now in area landscapes.
—Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 13 Sep. 2019
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.
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
Small children were wide-eyed and giggly when a delicate red admiral landed on their shoulder, or when a brightly colored monarch softly touched down on a young lady’s nose.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022
Known to entomologists as , the red admiral is mostly black, with white spots near the wing tips, orange bands on the hind wings, and a bright red band on the forewing.
—Dan Southerland, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2020
Queen, Gulf fritillary, black swallowtail, giant swallowtail, sulfur, red admiral, American beauty and other species of butterflies are flying right now in area landscapes.
—Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 13 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Red admiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20admiral. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share