papallona

Catalan

Alternative forms

• babaiana f (Sóller)
• papaió m (Balearic)
• papalló m (Balearic, dated)

Etymology

Feminine version of papalló, from Latin pāpiliō. Compare French papillon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [pə.pəˈʎo.nə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [pa.paˈʎo.na]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

papallona f (plural papallones)

1. butterfly
2. (swimming) butterfly stroke

Usage notes

• The older masculine form papalló is still used in conservative dialects, but this form is the most commonly used word for butterfly in Catalan.

Synonyms

• (dialectal) paloma, palometa

Derived terms

• femella papallona
• papallona de seda
• papallonat
• papallonejar
• peix papallona
• rajada pallona

See also

• arna (moth)
• eruga (caterpillar)

Further reading

• “papallona” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “papallona”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “papallona” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “papallona” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.