papilionaceous Hear it!

papilionaceous definition

pa·pilio·na·ceous (pə pil′ē ō nā′s̸həs)

adjective

Bot. shaped like a butterfly: said of certain flowers, esp. those of some legumes, as the pea

Etymology: < L papilio, butterfly (< redupl. of IE base *pel-, to fly, flutter, swim > OE fifealde, butterfly) + -aceous

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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