papillon

fr
en
Change language
Translating...
butterfly, flighty person, trifle, paper slip, notice
Find language
/pa.pi.jɔ̃/
Add to My Dictionary
In My Dictionary
+1
A butterfly, and by image a light person, small notice, wing-shaped fitting, swimming stroke, or butterfly-eared toy spaniel.

Examples

  • Un papillon de nuit tourne autour de la lampe.
    A moth circles around the lamp.
  • Ce papillon apprend vite les ordres.
    This Papillon learns commands quickly.
  • Le nageur travaille son papillon chaque matin.
    The swimmer works on his butterfly every morning.
  • Le 100 m papillon demande beaucoup de puissance.
    The 100 m butterfly demands a lot of power.
  • Note la date sur un papillon adhésif.
    Write the date on a sticky note.

Similar words

monarque
vanne papillon
pense-bête
rhopalocère
papillon de jour
inconstant
papillon de nuit
mondain
PV
tract

Meanings

Butterfly

noun
biology
neutral
A winged insect with fine scales on its four wings, usually noticed for its colour and light flight.

Examples

  • Le papillon butine la lavande.
    The butterfly gathers nectar from the lavender.
  • Des papillons blancs traversent le potager.
    White butterflies cross the vegetable garden.
  • La chenille devient un papillon après la chrysalide.
    The caterpillar becomes a butterfly after the chrysalis.
  • Un papillon de nuit tourne autour de la lampe.
    A moth circles around the lamp.
  • Les enfants suivent un papillon dans le pré.
    The children follow a butterfly in the meadow.
  • Ce papillon porte des taches bleues sur les ailes.
    This butterfly has blue spots on its wings.

Similar words

Flighty person or futile chase

noun
character
informal
A light, changeable person or a futile distraction chased for its shine rather than its value.

Examples

  • Ce mondain est un papillon qui change d’avis sans cesse.
    This socialite is a butterfly who constantly changes his mind.
  • Elle court après les papillons au lieu de finir son dossier.
    She chases trifles instead of finishing her file.
  • Des papillons noirs l’ont repris en fin de journée.
    Dark thoughts came back to him at the end of the day.
  • Son attention de papillon saute d’un projet à l’autre.
    His butterfly attention jumps from one project to another.
  • Il s’est brûlé comme un papillon à la flamme d’une promesse.
    He burned himself like a butterfly at the flame of a promise.
  • Le roman peint des papillons de salon plus brillants que fidèles.
    The novel portrays salon butterflies who are brighter than they are loyal.

Similar words

Slip, notice, or ticket

noun
documents
neutral
A small paper slip, sticker, leaflet, or informal parking ticket left where it will be noticed.

Examples

  • J’ai collé un papillon sur la page à corriger.
    I stuck a slip on the page to correct.
  • Un papillon rose signale l’erratum.
    A pink slip marks the erratum.
  • La mairie a distribué des papillons contre le projet.
    The town hall handed out leaflets against the project.
  • Un papillon attendait sur le pare-brise.
    A parking ticket was waiting on the windshield.
  • Note la date sur un papillon adhésif.
    Write the date on a sticky note.
  • Les militants collent des papillons près de l’entrée.
    The activists stick leaflets near the entrance.

Similar words

Butterfly-shaped object

noun
objects
neutral
An object with two wing-like parts, especially a bow tie, wing nut, valve, or ornamental fitting.

Examples

  • Il porte un papillon noir avec sa chemise blanche.
    He wears a black bow tie with his white shirt.
  • Serre le papillon de la roue à la main.
    Tighten the wing nut on the wheel by hand.
  • Le mécanicien règle le papillon des gaz.
    The mechanic adjusts the throttle butterfly.
  • La vanne papillon coupe le débit.
    The butterfly valve cuts off the flow.
  • Elle a fixé des papillons d’argent dans ses cheveux.
    She fixed silver butterflies in her hair.
  • Son bonnet ancien forme un grand papillon de ruban.
    His old bonnet forms a large ribbon butterfly.

Similar words

Butterfly stroke

noun
sport
neutral
A swimming stroke in which both arms recover together over the water while the body moves in a dolphin rhythm.

Examples

  • Elle nage le papillon sur cinquante mètres.
    She swims the butterfly for fifty metres.
  • Le nageur travaille son papillon chaque matin.
    The swimmer works on his butterfly every morning.
  • Le 100 m papillon demande beaucoup de puissance.
    The 100 m butterfly demands a lot of power.
  • Son papillon devient plus régulier.
    His butterfly is becoming more regular.
  • Il préfère le dos au papillon.
    He prefers backstroke to butterfly.
  • L’entraîneur corrige le retour des bras en papillon.
    The coach corrects the arm recovery in butterfly.

Similar words

Papillon dog

noun
animals
neutral
A small continental toy spaniel whose large fringed ears recall butterfly wings.

Examples

  • Le papillon est un petit chien très vif.
    The Papillon is a very lively small dog.
  • J’ai adopté un papillon aux oreilles dressées.
    I adopted a Papillon with erect ears.
  • Ce papillon apprend vite les ordres.
    This Papillon learns commands quickly.
  • Les papillons participent souvent aux concours d’agilité.
    Papillons often take part in agility contests.
  • Son papillon blanc et noir dort sur le canapé.
    Her black-and-white Papillon sleeps on the sofa.
  • Le vétérinaire connaît bien les papillons.
    The vet knows Papillons well.

Similar words

Etymology

From Latin papilionem, the accusative of papilio, meaning “butterfly.”

FAQ

Comments & contributions

Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Posting as a guest · Sign in
No comments yet. Be the first to add one.
Look up word or phrase...