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Glite Dictionary
peacock butterfly

peacock butterfly

7.1
A European butterfly with reddish-brown wings and purple eye-like spots
  • noun
  • /ˈpiːkɒk ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
  • UK
translation icon : mariposa pavo real
  • The vivid eyespots on the peacock butterfly help it to deter predators.

Examples

  • We spotted a beautiful peacock butterfly resting on the garden flowers.

  • Every spring, peacock butterflies emerge in large numbers across the countryside.

  • The peacock butterfly is a stunning sight in gardens.

  • Have you ever seen a peacock butterfly in the wild?

  • Every spring, peacock butterflies emerge in large numbers across the countryside.

  • The vivid eyespots on the peacock butterfly help it to deter predators.

  • We spotted a beautiful peacock butterfly resting on the garden flowers.

Synonyms

peacock
vspeacock butterfly
  • UK
1 9.2

A reddish-brown butterfly with a large eye spot on each wing

is the same meaning but uses the common descriptive phrase
Inachis io
vspeacock butterfly
  • Specialized
9.9

A European butterfly with reddish-brown wings and large eye spots often called the peacock butterfly

is the same meaning but presented as a general descriptive name

Surface Forms

peacock butterfly singular
peacock butterflies plural

Morphology

peacock + butterfly

The noun is a straightforward compound: it names a butterfly that has peacock-like (eye‑spot) markings, so a learner who knows 'peacock' and 'butterfly' can readily infer this specific kind of butterfly. This follows a common noun+noun naming pattern found across languages, making the meaning directly derivable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

The name peacock butterfly comes from the bright round markings on its wings that look like a peacock's tail. Those 'eye' marks help scare birds and other animals, so the insect, a butterfly, was named after the bird.