butterfly

butterfly [but′ərflī΄]

n.

pl. butterflies [ME buterflie < OE buttorfleoge (see BUTTER & FLY²): in folklore, it is thought to steal milk or butter]

1. any of various families of lepidopteran insects active in the daytime, having a sucking mouthpart, slender body, ropelike, knobbed antennae, and four broad, usually brightly colored, membranous wings

2. a person, esp. a woman, thought of as flitting about like a butterfly and being frivolous, fickle, etc.

3.

a) short for BUTTERFLY STROKE

b) a contest in which each contestant uses a butterfly stroke

adj.

resembling a butterfly, esp. in having parts that are spread out like wings [butterfly chair, butterfly table]

vt.

butterflied, butterflying

to slice (a pork chop, shrimp, etc.) most of the way through and spread open before cooking

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butterflies in one's stomach or butterflies

an uneasy feeling, as in the abdomen, caused esp. by nervous anticipation