BUTTERFLY
Dictionary entry overview: What does butterfly mean?
• BUTTERFLY (noun)
The noun BUTTERFLY has 2 senses:
1. diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
2. a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down
Familiarity information: BUTTERFLY used as a noun is rare.
• BUTTERFLY (verb)
The verb BUTTERFLY has 3 senses:
1. flutter like a butterfly
2. cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking
3. talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions
Familiarity information: BUTTERFLY used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• BUTTERFLY (noun)
Meaning:
Diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
Classified under:
Nouns denoting animals
Hypernyms ("butterfly" is a kind of...):
lepidopteran; lepidopteron; lepidopterous insect (insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "butterfly"):
brush-footed butterfly; four-footed butterfly; nymphalid; nymphalid butterfly (medium to large butterflies found worldwide typically having brightly colored wings and much-reduced nonfunctional forelegs carried folded on the breast)
ringlet; ringlet butterfly (any of various butterflies belonging to the family Satyridae)
danaid; danaid butterfly (large tropical butterfly with degenerate forelegs and an unpleasant taste)
pierid; pierid butterfly (any of numerous pale-colored butterflies having three pairs of well-developed legs)
sulfur butterfly; sulphur butterfly (any of numerous yellow or orange butterflies)
lycaenid; lycaenid butterfly (any of various butterflies of the family Lycaenidae)
Meaning:
A swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
butterfly stroke; butterfly
Hypernyms ("butterfly" is a kind of...):
swimming stroke (a method of moving the arms and legs to push against the water and propel the swimmer forward)
Meronyms (parts of "butterfly"):
dolphin kick (a swimming kick; an up and down kick of the feet together)
• BUTTERFLY (verb)
Meaning:
Flutter like a butterfly
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "butterfly" is one way to...):
dart; fleet; flit; flutter (move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Context example:
butterflied shrimp
Hypernyms (to "butterfly" is one way to...):
open; spread; spread out; unfold (spread out or open from a closed or folded state)
Domain category:
cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
flirt; coquette; coquet; chat up; philander; mash; romance; dally; butterfly
Context examples:
The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries / My husband never flirts with other women
Hypernyms (to "butterfly" is one way to...):
speak; talk (exchange thoughts; talk with)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "butterfly"):
wanton (engage in amorous play)
vamp (act seductively with (someone))
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
