Spanish Word of the Day: Mariposa (butterfly)

The word Mariposa, meaning butterfly in English, is a neologism. It is composed of two Spanish words. The first one is Mari, which is a nickname derived from the common Spanish name Maria. The second word is taken from the verb posar which means to pose. The two words combined say mari poses, or mari posa. 

This name was given to these beautiful insects because they like to pose on flowers while showing off their gorgeous vibrant colours.

Mariposa is a feminine noun and it takes the following definite and indefinite articles:

• la mariposa = the butterfly
• las mariposas = the butterflies
• una mariposa = a butterfly
• unas mariposas = some butterflies

The four stages of metamorfosis (metamorphosis) in the ciclo de vida (life cycle) of a mariposa are the following:

• Etapa de huevo (egg stage): Mariposas lay about 200-250 eggs that will hatch within 4 days and some up to three weeks.
• Oruga or larva stage (caterpillar or larva stage): The larva that hatches is what we call an oruga (caterpillar). It spends about 13-21 days eating plants.
• Pupa o crisálada (pupa or chrysalis stage): The caterpillar moults and spins a silk capullo (cacoon) or a crisálada (chrysalis) where it undergoes tremendous change.
• Mariposa adulta (adult or butterfly stage): A fully developed adult crawls out of the pupa, lets its wings dry for two hours, and then flies off to feed and mate.  The average duración de vida (life span) is two weeks but it can live up to 11 months. 

Fun Fact: Because of the metamorfosis (metamorphosis) mariposas go through during their life cycle, they are associated with spiritual change and renovation. If they land on you, it is believed change and renovation will come to your life.

One of the most popular butterflies in North America is the mariposa monarca (monarch butterfly). They are well-known for their distinctive orange and black colours.  Their migración (migration) takes place between Canada, the United States and Mexico.  

Another eye-catching mariposa is the menelao morfo azul (menelaus blue morpho). This bright blue insect is native to the bosques tropicales (tropical rainforests) of Mexico, Central America, and down to South America. 

The mariposa cola de golondrina (swallowtail butterfly) is considered one of the most beautiful mariposas because of its unique forma de ala (wing shape) and colour. It’s found in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. 

Colloquial terms for the word ‘mariposa’

The term mariposa social (social butterfly) is associated with two things in Spanish.  The first one is the same translation as the English version – an extroverted person who enjoys talking to everyone. 

The second association with this phrase is a person who is in search of sexual relationships and flirts with everyone. They flit around like a butterfly. The song Mariposa Traicionera (betrayer butterfly) by Mexican rock group Maná is popular in Latin America. It’s about a woman who is a social butterfly and betrays her lover’s trust. 

Mariposa is also a derogative term used to refer to a feminine homosexual man. 

The colloquial term efecto mariposa (butterfly effect) is a metaphor that describes how small causes can produce large effects. While not true, it was said that a butterfly’s wings flapping in Brazil could cause a tornado in Texas. This is to say that a small life event, or something that seems insignificant, can have a big effect on your life. The popular movie with Ashton Kutcher, The Butterfly Effect, is a movie based on this metaphor.

Idiomatic expressions featuring ‘butterfly’