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to butterfly

to butterfly

1 8.3
To talk and act in a playful way to show romantic interest without serious intent
  • verb
  • /ˈbʌtərˌflaɪ/
  • Informal
translation icon : coquetear
  • It's clear that he was just butterflying when he complimented her; he didn't mean anything serious.

Examples

  • You could tell she was butterflying around, making light jokes without any real commitment.

  • He likes to butterfly at parties, charming everyone he meets.

  • Instead of committing to one person, she prefers to butterfly from one flirtation to another.

  • Some people find it annoying when he butterflies around the office.

  • She loves to butterfly with her friends at parties.

  • Don't butterfly around him; he takes relationships seriously.

  • During the party, she started to butterfly with him, laughing and flirting playfully.

Synonyms

to flirt
vsto butterfly
267 3.1

Behave playfully or tease someone to show romantic interest

is the broader label for casual romantic showing without commitment
to mash
vsto butterfly
  • UK
8 9.9

To flirt with someone without wanting a serious relationship

is similar but neutral in register rather than informal
to chat up
vsto butterfly
  • NSFW
4 7.8

Talk to someone in a friendly way to try to start a romantic relationship

is about casual playful behaviour without clear aim to attract
to dally
vsto butterfly
1 8.2

To behave in a playful romantic way without serious interest

is the simple name for casual romantic talk or acts
to coquette
vsto butterfly
9.3

Behave in a playful, flirty way to get attention

is similar but more neutral and less playful in tone
to coquet
vsto butterfly
9.9

To act in a flirty way without serious interest

is the general term covering casual romantic talk or behaviour

Antonyms

452 1.4

Calm and focused, not playful or joking

239 2.5

Being honest and showing what you really feel

Idioms

1 6.8

To move with light, graceful steps like a butterfly

9.9

An action much stronger than needed against something small and harmless

Compounds

A large orange and black butterfly that travels long distances and whose caterpillars eat milkweed

butterfly effect
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A small change that causes big, unexpected results far away

A shrub with groups of flowers that attract butterflies

A person who catches butterflies and moths to keep and study

A small colorful tropical sea fish with a flat body and wide fins, often near coral reefs

butterfly stroke
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A swimming stroke where both arms move forward together and the legs kick like a dolphin

butterfly valve
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A valve with a flat disc that turns to control or stop the flow of water and air

6.1

A metal piece with two flat wings you turn by hand to hold things together

butterfly ray
  • Specialized
8.1

A large flat sea animal with a very wide body and a short tail

A plant with bright orange flowers that attract butterflies

butterfly flower
  • Specialized
8.2

A small garden plant with thin divided leaves and bright flowers with different colours

A shrub or small tree with clusters of pink flowers streaked with purple

An orchid with colorful flowers that look like a butterfly

A climbing plant with bright blue or purple flowers that people use to make tea and decorate gardens

A flowering plant with colorful, often fragrant flowers that look like butterflies

A flower with bright petals that look like a butterfly

8.2

A medium to large butterfly with bright wings and small front legs not used for walking

A small white butterfly whose caterpillars eat cabbage and other garden plants

A butterfly with jagged wing edges and a white mark shaped like a comma under each hind wing

danaid butterfly
  • Specialized
9.9

A large tropical butterfly with short front legs and a bad taste that keeps predators away

A large bright butterfly with blue or green wings found in Africa and parts of Europe and Asia

A small insect with bright wings whose front legs are very small and folded so it walks on four legs

A small southern European orchid with pale green and white flowers that smell sweet

lycaenid butterfly
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bright butterfly often with blue, shiny wings

A large orange and black North American butterfly whose caterpillars eat milkweed

A large dark purple butterfly with yellow edges on its wings

A European orchid with large dark green flowers that have a faint smell

hairstreak butterfly
  • Specialized
8.4

A small butterfly with thin lines like hairs under its wings

nymphalid butterfly
  • Specialized
8.6

A medium to large butterfly with bright wings and very small front legs

A small brown butterfly with spots that look like eyes on its wings

A European butterfly with reddish-brown wings and purple eye-like spots

pierid butterfly
  • Specialized
8.4

A pale butterfly like the cabbage white that visits flowers

A small flying insect with wide yellow or orange wings

A small bright butterfly with orange and black wings that often visits flowers

A small white butterfly whose caterpillars eat cabbage and other garden plants

How Flirtatious

to chat up
  • NSFW
4 7.8
to butterfly
  • Informal
1 8.3
to flirt
267 3.1

Surface Forms

butterfly infinitive
butterflied past participle
butterflying present participle
butterflies third person singular

Etymology

Butterfly meaning to flirt or move from person to person comes from the idea of a butterfly going from flower to flower, so someone who 'butterflies' around moves lightly between people without staying long.