WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : But"ter*fly`
Part of Speech : n.;
Etymology : [Perh. from the color of a yellow species. AS. buter-flege, buttor-fle?ge; cf. G. butterfliege, D. botervlieg. See Butter, and Fly.] (Zo?l.)
Definition : Defn: A general name for the numerous species of diurnal Lepidoptera.

Note: [See Illust. under Aphrodite.] Asclepias butterfly. See under Asclepias. -- Butterfly fish (Zo?l.), the ocellated blenny (Blennius ocellaris) of Europe. See Blenny. The term is also applied to the flying gurnard. -- Butterfly shell (Zo?l.), a shell of the genus Voluta. -- Butterfly valve (Mech.), a kind of double clack valve, consisting of two semicircular clappers or wings hinged to a cross rib in the pump bucket. When open it somewhat resembles a butterfly in shape.

pl. Butterflies.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913