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Glite Dictionary
Lycaena hypophlaeas

Lycaena hypophlaeas

9.9
A small orange-brown butterfly found in eastern and central North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Lycaena hypophlaeas
  • The Lycaena hypophlaeas is often seen fluttering low in open meadows during summer.

Examples

  • Researchers studied the habitat preferences of Lycaena hypophlaeas in several northeastern states.

  • Have you ever spotted a Lycaena hypophlaeas in the wild?

  • Many children enjoy watching the distinctive bright wings of the Lycaena hypophlaeas in local parks.

  • The Lycaena hypophlaeas is often found in meadows.

  • Many children enjoy watching the distinctive bright wings of the Lycaena hypophlaeas in local parks.

  • Researchers studied the habitat preferences of Lycaena hypophlaeas in several northeastern states.

  • The Lycaena hypophlaeas is often seen fluttering low in open meadows during summer.

Synonyms

American copper
vsLycaena hypophlaeas
  • US
7.3

A small copper-colored butterfly that visits wildflowers in fields and gardens

is the common-name form presented as an alternative rather than the parenthetical label

Surface Forms

Lycaena hypophlaeas singular
Lycaena hypophlaeas plural

Morphology

Lycaena + hypophlaeas

This is a Latin binomial species name functioning as an arbitrary taxonomic label; its meaning ('a particular copper-colored butterfly') cannot be compositionally derived from the constituents, especially as 'hypophlaeas' is not a recognisable English word. Knowing 'Lycaena' as a genus does not make the full name predictable to a B1 learner, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Lycaena hypophlaeas may come from older scientific words used to name small, bright 'copper' butterflies, with Lycaena marking the copper group and hypophlaeas naming this particular kind. So, the name is a simple picture: think of a small butterfly with bright copper wings, which is why it refers to the American copper.