Definitions

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

  • noun Any of various large nymphalid butterflies of the genus Morpho of tropical regions of the Americas, noted for the brilliant iridescent blue color of their wings.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A genus of magnificent nymphalid butterflies, typical of the subfamily Mornhinæ.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of large, handsome, tropical American butterflies, of the genus Morpho. They are noted for the very brilliant metallic luster and bright colors (often blue) of the upper surface of the wings. The lower surface is usually brown or gray, with eyelike spots.

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

  • noun zoology Any of the genus Morpho of large tropical American butterflies.

Etymologies

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

[New Latin Morphō, genus name, from Greek, epithet of Aphrodite, perhaps from morphē, shape, form.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the genus name, from Ancient Greek μορφώ (morphō, "the Shapely One") (a name of Aphrodite).

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Examples

  • Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini: I find this kind of morpho-dynamic approach immensely productive.

    ScreenTalk 2009

  • Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini: I find this kind of morpho-dynamic approach immensely productive.

    ScreenTalk 2009

  • Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini: I find this kind of morpho-dynamic approach immensely productive.

    ScreenTalk 2009

  • Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini: I find this kind of morpho-dynamic approach immensely productive.

    ScreenTalk 2009

  • He's used four species, two of which I recognised: the morpho cypris (a bright, shiny blue one from South America) and the African giant blue (second largest in Africa).

    Another view on Damien Hirst: The Souls Interview by Laura Barnett 2010

  • But what knocked me out was seeing the morpho cypris in purple: if you got one that colour in real life, it would have a hard time, since butterflies recognise their mates by the colour of their wings.

    Another view on Damien Hirst: The Souls Interview by Laura Barnett 2010

  • Long-beaked green kingfishers flew across our path and bright blue morpho butterflies fluttered above our heads, more than once landing on one of our helmets.

    A Rio Runs Through It Nicholas Gill 2011

  • My room is elegantly simple, with a framed captured purple butterfly on the wall morpho sega, small Moroccan glass vases on a shelf, and a king sized white bed.

    Karin Badt: Surf and Yoga: A New Way to Experience Morocco Karin Badt 2011

  • My room is elegantly simple, with a framed captured purple butterfly on the wall morpho sega, small Moroccan glass vases on a shelf, and a king sized white bed.

    Karin Badt: Surf and Yoga: A New Way to Experience Morocco Karin Badt 2011

  • Shay was still too skinny, even after the morpho software had pulled her toward the average.

    Scott Westerfeld: Uglies Quartet Scott Westerfeld 2010

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