morpho

¹

[ mawr-foh ]

noun

, plural mor·phos.

1. any of various large, tropical American butterflies of the genus Morpho, having brilliant blue, iridescent wings with an underside of brown or gray and eyelike spots.

morpho-

²

1. a combining form meaning “form, structure,” used in the formation of compound words:

   morphology.

morpho-

combining_form

1. indicating form or structure

   morphology

2. morpheme

   morphophonemics

Word History and Origins

Origin of morpho¹

First recorded in 1850–55; from New Latin Morphō, genus name, from Greek Morphṓ “the Shapely, the Beautiful” (an epithet of Aphrodite in Sparta), akin to morphḗ “form, shape, figure, beauty”

Origin of morpho²

< Greek, combining form of morphḗ

Word History and Origins

Origin of morpho¹

from Greek morphē form, shape

Example Sentences

The iconic morpho blue butterfly doesn’t have a flake of blue pigment.

From Science News

One year a beautiful blue morpho butterfly landed on my sweater, and I carried it with me through the exhibit for several long minutes.

From Washington Post

The structural color of the morpho wings is angle dependent, though—it shimmers and changes as the butterfly flutters.

From Nautilus

Take, for example, the opalescent wings of a morpho butterfly.

From Nautilus

Helicons came, and once a morpho, the latter a great rarity away from the interior of the woods.

From Project Gutenberg

It was in the woods at the Caracoles that I first saw the great morpho butterfly at home.

From Project Gutenberg

In this upper story was an image of Aphrodite Morpho fettered—a silly thing he thought it to fetter a cedar-wood doll.

From Project Gutenberg

The largest specimens of Morpho Cisseis measure seven inches and a half in expanse.

From Project Gutenberg

In the broad alleys of the forest, several species of Morpho were common.

From Project Gutenberg