Lycaenidae

plural noun

Ly·​cae·​ni·​dae

-nəˌdē

: a family of small often brilliantly colored butterflies having the forelegs short in the male and including the blues, coppers, and hairstreaks

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Lycaena, type genus + -idae

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!