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butterfly

[buht-er-flahy] / ˈbʌt ərˌflaɪ /
NOUN
caterpillar
Synonyms










Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Cerutti has renaturalised about a third of her 110 hectare property, including 25 hectares that have been turned into wetlands, which are now home to rare species such as the Large Copper butterfly.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

The schoolgirl was named a Games MVP on Sunday to cap an extraordinary showing that saw her scorch to gold in the 200m butterfly and do the 200m-400m individual medley double.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

Fox said many species were already under pressure, with 80% of the UK's butterfly populations having declined since the 1970s.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

The gatekeeper was the most commonly spotted butterfly in Devon and Cornwall.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

“Simple. Well, not that simple, but easier than you might expect. Especially with the butterfly whisperer over here.”

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

"Since the first trees were planted, there has been a spectacular increase in butterflies, dragonflies, and biodiversity in general," said the 43-year-old, who took over running the family's Cascina Oschina farm in 2012.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

“The data is there,” said Pan, speaking before a banner decorated with purple butterflies and the proclamation, “Black Mothers Matter.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

Other images were less place-centric—an MRI, a candle, a horde of monarch butterflies, the storm of the Señora’s tears.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

The charity said strong butterfly numbers were "likely" down to favourable conditions for caterpillars in spring, followed by the hot, sunny weather enjoyed by adult butterflies during the summer months.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

In fact, if it weren’t for the butterflies that seemed to multiply in Jonah’s stomach as October 28 approached, Jonah almost could have believed that his life had gone back to normal.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

“The shucked abalone is trimmed, butterflied, and thwacked lightly with a mallet.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

We especially enjoyed the chunky guacamole served with crispy pork belly, the yellowfin tuna tostados served with a pepita salsa matcha, and the butterflied bronzino served with a tomato avocado salsa and house-made tortillas.

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026

Then there’s butterflied branzino, one side painted red, the other green, with sauces coaxed from guajillo mayonnaise and tomatillo and serrano, respectively.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 30, 2022

The butterflied grilled perch recipe is inspired by the chef Sergio Peñuelas, from Nayarit, in Mexico, and his pescado zarandeado.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2022

I sat as far away from him as possible without falling off the bench, elbows butterflied to give me even more room.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Our solution came in a well-tested technique for evenly roasting chickens: spatchcocking, or butterflying, which involves cutting out and discarding a bird’s backbone so it can be spread open and flattened.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 19, 2023

“I came back to butterflying out of the blue - a childhood passion rekindled nine years ago at a butterfly gathering in the Blue Mountains.”

From Washington Times ● Jul. 24, 2016

Jazmin starts by butterflying a chicken thigh with a deft stroke of her knife.

From Salon ● May 21, 2012

Every year sees the appearance of fictional contrivances that pause briefly as larvae in book form before butterflying their way onto the screen.

From Time Magazine Archive

July 28. brite and fair. i am going with Potter and Chick Chickering instead of Pewt and Beany. we went butterflying today.

From 'Sequil' Or Things Whitch Aint Finished in the First by Henry A. (Henry Augustus) Shute


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