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Definition of butterfly bush
butterfly bush
Plural:butterfly bushes
butterfly bush Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of various shrubs of the genus Buddleja (family Scrophulariaceae), native primarily to Asia, Africa, and the Americas, characterized by long, cone-shaped clusters of colorful, fragrant flowers that are highly attractive to butterflies and other pollinators.
Example
"We planted a purple butterfly bush in the backyard to help support local pollinators and bring more life to our summer garden."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for butterfly bush• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined as a descriptive common name in the late 19th or early 20th century, directly referring to the shrub's notable ability to attract large numbers of butterflies with its nectar-rich flowers.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Butterfly bush. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/butterfly bush