papillon
/pa.pi.jɔ̃/masculine
The English word "butterfly" is translated into French as papillon.
papillon refers to the insect. It is also used metaphorically to describe a person who flits from one thing to another, such as a papillon social (a social butterfly).
Meaning: insect (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular masculine noun is papillon. The plural of papillon is papillons.
How do you pronounce it?
/pa.pi.jɔ̃/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- A papillon can also refer to a bow tie in French, as the shape of the tie resembles the wings of the insect.
- In a culinary context, if you see the word papillon on a menu, it may not be an insect but could refer to a specific way of cutting or shaping ingredients like potatoes.
- Some linguists believe the word papillon might have originated as an onomatopoeia, mimicking the fluttering sound of wings.
Examples in context
- Tu es un beau papillon.You are a beautiful butterfly.This sentence is useful for seeing the word papillon used in a compliment.Tatoeba #582614 by sacredceltic, translation #68974 by CM
- Oh, il y a un papillon !Oh, there's a butterfly!This sentence is useful for expressing the discovery of a papillon.Tatoeba #7482023 by theachaean, translation #1328 by brauliobezerra
- Le papillon bat des ailes.The butterfly flutters.This sentence is useful for describing the movement of a papillon.Tatoeba #10160789 by lbdx, translation #2478219 by al_ex_an_der
- J'ai vu un beau papillon dans le parc.I saw a beautiful butterfly in the park.
- Cet été, j'ai étudié les lépidoptères dans la région.This summer, I studied butterflies in the region.
- Après avoir travaillé dur pendant des années, elle a enfin pris son envol comme un papillon.After working hard for years, she finally took off like a butterfly.
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are sitting in a park.
- HugoEmma, regarde ce papillon !Emma, look at this butterfly!
- EmmaIl est magnifique, Hugo.It is magnificent, Hugo.
- HugoIl s'envole déjà.It is already flying away.
- EmmaC'est dommage.That is a shame.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butterfly” translations and entries papillon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries papillon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
