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Glite Dictionary
pierid butterfly

pierid butterfly

8.4
A pale butterfly like the cabbage white that visits flowers
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪərɪd ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mariposa pierid
  • The cabbage white is a well-known species of pierid butterfly found in gardens worldwide.

Examples

  • A pierid butterfly landed briefly on the blooming daisies in the meadow.

  • Many pierid butterflies enjoy feeding on flowers.

  • Scientists study the migratory patterns of several pierid butterflies in Europe and Asia.

  • The pierid butterfly is often seen in gardens.

  • The cabbage white is a common type of pierid butterfly often spotted fluttering around vegetable patches.

  • Charles observed a vibrant pierid butterfly dancing among the colorful flowers in the park.

  • As summer approached, a variety of pierid butterflies began to emerge, brightening the landscape.

Synonyms

pierid
vspierid butterfly
  • Specialized
9.9

A pale butterfly with white or yellow wings

is identical in meaning but appears as a two word form

Surface Forms

pierid butterfly singular
pierid butterflies plural

Morphology

pierid + butterfly

The phrase is fully compositional: 'pierid' names the Pieridae family and 'butterfly' is the head noun, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a butterfly of the Pieridae group. The adjective+noun taxonomic naming pattern is common across languages, so despite 'pierid' being somewhat technical the overall meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Pierid butterfly comes from the group name 'Pieris' and the family name 'Pieridae'; the word pierid points to that group and butterfly shows it is an insect often light-coloured, like the cabbage white. So, think of a small pale garden butterfly when you hear pierid butterfly.