nymphalid

noun

nym·pha·lid nim-ˈfa-ləd

ˈnim-fə-ləd

: any of a family (Nymphalidae) of butterflies (such as a mourning cloak or fritillary) with the first pair of legs being hairy, reduced in size, and useless for walking

nymphalid adjective

Word History

Etymology

from the stem of New Latin Nymphalidae, family name, from Nymphalis, genus name (from Latin nympha nymph + -ālis -al entry 1) + -idae -idae

Note: The introduction of the genus Nymphalis has been credited to the Polish naturalist Jan Krzysztof Kluk (1739-96) in Zwierząt domowych i dzikich, osobliwie kraiowych, historyi naturalney początki i gospodarstwo, tom 4 (Warszaw, 1780), p. 86.

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of nymphalid was in 1897

See more words from the same year