Acraeinae

plural noun

Ac·​rae·​i·​nae

ˌa-krē-ˈī-(ˌ)nē

: a subfamily of Nymphalidae consisting of chiefly African butterflies possessing distastefulness to predators and mimicked by many more edible butterflies

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Acraea, type genus (from Latin, feminine of acraeus living on the heights, from Greek akraios, from akron height) + -inae

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

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