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Glite Dictionary
nymphalid

nymphalid

9.9
A butterfly with bright wings and very small front legs often not used for walking
  • noun
  • /ˈnɪm.fə.lɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nymfalido
  • During the hike, we spotted a nymphalid resting on a leaf, its wings showcasing beautiful patterns.

Examples

  • The vibrant nymphalid butterflies fluttered around the colorful flowers in the garden.

  • And the nymphalid ground plan says you can only make those eye spots in certain places.

  • Children were fascinated by the nymphalid displayed at the nature center, amazed by its bright colors.

Synonyms

nymphalid butterfly
vsnymphalid
  • Specialized
8.6

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

is the shorter form omitting the noun while keeping identical meaning
brush-footed butterfly
vsnymphalid
  • Specialized
8.2

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

emphasizes forelegs folded on the breast rather than only unused for walking

Compounds

nymphalid butterfly
  • Specialized
8.6

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

Surface Forms

nymphalid singular
nymphalids plural

Morphology

nymphalid = nymphal (opaque) = nymphal + id

The suffix '-id' is a specialized taxonomic/formational suffix meaning 'member of a group' and is not readily inferable by average learners, so knowing 'nymphal' will not let most learners derive the noun meaning.

Etymology

The word nymphalid comes from nymph, a word for a 'young woman' or 'fairy', because these butterflies look delicate and beautiful like nymphs. The ending -id means 'related to', so a nymphalid is a butterfly in that group, often bright and with small front legs.