Why are butterflies called "butter" Flies?

Question

Well the "fly" part makes since cause they fly, but "butter"? I mean, they don't eat butter, they don't lay eggs in it, in fact there's nothing buttery about them, so where did they get the butter in thier names from? Stoopid question.

Answer 1

No one knows for sure, since the word has been in the English language for centuries (the word was "buterfleoge" in Old English, which means butterfly in our English today). Because it is such an old word, we don't really know who or when someone said "That 'thing' over there is a 'butterfly'." One story is that they were named so because it was thought that butterflies, or witches that took on the shape of butterflies, stole milk and butter. (Someone else wondered if the word was really meant to be "flutter-by" ). In other languages, the word for our fluttery friends has no such derivation as "butter" + "fly". One can only speculate on why the English language uses such an unlikely name.LL.

Answer 2

"The Old English word for butterfly was buttorfleoge apparently because butterflies were thought to steal milk. A similar word occurs in Dutch and German originating from the same belief. This is believed to have led to the evolution of its present name form - butterfly."

Not quite sure why they thought they'd steal milk... I guess I'd better watch my cereal next time!

Answer 3

It is not a stupid question. The reason is that someone with dyslexia named them "butterflys". What this person meant to name them was "flutterbys".

Answer 4

actually i like butterflies but there is no favorite color

Answer 5

they are the archenemies of the margarine-flys

Answer 6

I always thought it was because the "flutter by"..LOL

Answer 7

Adam named them butterflies.I don't know why he named it that,he just did.