Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A dog of a toy spaniel breed developed in Europe, having a long silky coat, a bushy tail that curves over the back, and large ears shaped like the wings of a butterfly.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable A breed of small dog with large ears.
  • noun A dog of that breed.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun small slender toy spaniel with erect ears and a black-spotted brown to white coat

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, from Old French, butterfly, from Latin pāpiliō, pāpiliōn-; see pavilion.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French papillon ("butterfly"), from Latin papilio ("butterfly, moth")

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Examples

  • This film in the original French entitled Le Scaphandre et le papillon is perhaps one of the most impressive cinematic wonders of all time.

    Film Review: The Diving Bell And The Butterfly « Unambiguously Ambidextrous 2008

  • This film in the original French entitled Le Scaphandre et le papillon is perhaps one of the most impressive cinematic wonders of all time.

    2008 August 17 « Unambiguously Ambidextrous 2008

  • Souleiado = a maker of Provençal fabrics, clothing, and linens en soie = in silk fera l'affaire = will fit the bill voilà = presto noeud papillon = bow tie une cravate = tie une agrafeuse = a stapler une petite fera l'affaire = a small one will do it le pantalon = pants

    Mode 2010

  • How come you have an "American" dog, and Marsha and I have a "French" dog (a papillon)?

    lumiere - French Word-A-Day 2009

  • My daughter has helped me by gathering the side ties into a noeud papillon in the back of the robe.

    Mode 2010

  • Well, my very pretty 3-year-old papillon, Tequila, accidentally found her purpose this week.

    Trish Mitchell: What's Your Dog's Purpose? Trish Mitchell 2011

  • My daughter has helped me by gathering the side ties into a noeud papillon in the back of the robe.

    Fashion 2010

  • My daughter has helped me by gathering the side ties into a noeud papillon in the back of the robe.

    agrafer - French Word-A-Day 2010

  • Souleiado = a maker of Provençal fabrics, clothing, and linens en soie = in silk fera l'affaire = will fit the bill voilà = presto noeud papillon = bow tie une cravate = tie une agrafeuse = a stapler une petite fera l'affaire = a small one will do it le pantalon = pants

    Fashion 2010

  • Souleiado = a maker of Provençal fabrics, clothing, and linens en soie = in silk fera l'affaire = will fit the bill voilà = presto noeud papillon = bow tie une cravate = tie une agrafeuse = a stapler une petite fera l'affaire = a small one will do it le pantalon = pants

    agrafer - French Word-A-Day 2010

Comments

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  • Also French for 'butterfly.'

    March 3, 2008