butterfly
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
KK: /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
noun
Definition
An insect with a slender body, colorful wings, and knobbed antennae, belonging to the order Lepidoptera.
Example
The butterfly landed gently on the flower, displaying its vibrant colors.
Conversation
I saw a beautiful butterfly in the garden today.
That sounds lovely! What color was it?
It had bright orange wings with black spots.
Wow, I love those kinds of butterflies!
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
flutterby
moth
insect
Antonyms
slug
bore
drone
transitive verb
Definition
Not a valid English word.
Example
Not available.
Tense Forms
Past: Not available
Past Participle: Not available
Conversation
Have you ever seen someone butterfly shrimp before?
No, I haven't! How do they do it?
It's really cool; they cut it down the middle and spread it flat.
Root Explanation
The word 'butterfly' originates from Old English 'butterfloege', which is a combination of 'butter' (possibly referring to the color of butter) and 'floege' (meaning to fly). The term likely describes the insect's yellowish color reminiscent of butter and its ability to fly.
Memory Tip
Imagine a butterfly's wings being the color of butter, which helps you remember that 'butterfly' refers to this beautiful flying insect.
Visually Confused Words
utterly
bitterly
betterly