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Glite Dictionary
Camberwell beauty

Camberwell beauty

9.9
A large butterfly with dark purple wings and yellow edges
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : mariposa Camberwell
  • The Camberwell beauty is a stunning butterfly with dark purple wings and yellow borders.

Examples

  • The Camberwell beauty is admired for its striking coloration and elegant flight.

  • We spotted a rare Camberwell beauty while walking through the woods.

  • Conservationists are concerned about the declining numbers of the Camberwell beauty in Britain.

  • Look at that stunning Camberwell beauty resting on the leaf!

  • Have you ever seen a Camberwell beauty up close?

  • During our hike, we were thrilled to see a Camberwell beauty fluttering by us.

  • The Camberwell beauty can be spotted in the garden during the warmer months.

Synonyms

mourning cloak butterfly
vsCamberwell beauty
  • US
8.6

A large dark purple butterfly with yellow edges on its wings

is the established common name rather than a plain descriptive phrase
Nymphalis antiopa
vsCamberwell beauty
  • Specialized
9.9

A large dark purple butterfly with yellow edges on its wings

is the ordinary common name without the scientific form
mourning cloak
vsCamberwell beauty
  • US
9.9

A large dark butterfly with pale yellow edges on its wings

is the common English name rather than the scientific designation

Surface Forms

Camberwell beauty singular
Camberwell beauties plural

Morphology

Camberwell + beauty

The label 'Camberwell beauty' is a conventional proper name for a species of butterfly and its specific sense (‘a large butterfly…’) cannot be predicted from the parts: 'Camberwell' is a place-name and 'beauty' only signals attractiveness, not the taxonomic class. Even learners who know both words would not reliably infer ‘butterfly’, so the expression is language-specific and non-compositional for B1 learners.

Etymology

Camberwell beauty may come from the Camberwell area of London, where a rare butterfly was first seen, and the word beauty refers to its dark purple wings with a bright yellow edge. So the name simply points to this striking butterfly.