mariposa

butterfly

noun mah-ree-POH-sah Rare

Also means

butterfly stroke

Usage Note

Mariposa is the everyday word for butterfly and also the name of the butterfly swimming stroke: nadar mariposa (to swim butterfly). It is feminine: una mariposa blanca. The verb mariposear means to flit about or be fickle, mirroring the insect's erratic flight.

Examples

"Una mariposa azul posó en la flor."

Natural Translation

A blue butterfly landed on the flower.

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