Where does “butterflylike” come from?

butterflylike (English) comes from English Butterfly, from Middle English boterflye, from Old English buterflēoge, from Old English butere, from Proto-West Germanic buterā, from Latin būtȳrum, from Ancient Greek βούτυρον, from Ancient Greek τυρός — to swell; to crowd; to be strong.

butterflylike (English): Resembling or characteristic of a butterfly

Definitions

  1. Resembling or characteristic of a butterfly

Ancestry of “butterflylike”, step by step

butterflylike traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Butterfly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishButterflyA flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from moths by their diurnal activity and generally brighter colouring
2Middle Englishboterflyebutterfly; Something of little import or value; A...
3Old Englishbuterflēogebutterfly
4Old Englishbuterebutter
5Proto-West Germanicbuterābutter
6Latinbūtȳrumbutter
7Ancient Greekβούτυρονbutter
8Ancient Greekτυρόςcheese
9Proto-Hellenictūróscheese
10Proto-Indo-Europeantuh₂-ró-s
11Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong

via English like

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlikeTo enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of;...
2Dutchluikhatch; shutter; panel, as in a triptych
3Middle Dutchluke
4Dutchluikento close, to shut
5Middle Dutchlukento close, to shut; to close, to become closed
6Old Dutchlūcanto close, shut
7Proto-West Germaniclūkanto close, to shut
8Proto-Germaniclūkanąto close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewǵ-to break, tear; to break, shatter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European tuh₂-ró-sEvery word from Proto-Hellenic tūrós