Phrase guide

butterfly knife

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: balisong, Batangas knife

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Compound of butterfly + knife from the opening motion of the knife.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 蝴蝶刀 (húdiédāo) — folding pocket knife
  • Czech: motýlek — folding pocket knife
  • Danish: butterflykniv — folding pocket knife
  • Dutch: vlindermes — folding pocket knife
  • Finnish: perhosveitsi — folding pocket knife
  • French: balisong — folding pocket knife
  • German: Butterflymesser — folding pocket knife
  • Greek: πεταλούδα (petaloúda) — folding pocket knife
  • Japanese: バタフライナイフ (batafurai naifu) — folding pocket knife
  • Korean: 버터플라이 나이프 (beoteopeullai naipeu) — folding pocket knife
  • Polish: nóż motylkowy — folding pocket knife
  • Portuguese: faca borboleta — folding pocket knife
  • Portuguese: canivete borboleta — folding pocket knife
  • Russian: нож-ба́бочка (nož-bábočka) — folding pocket knife
  • Russian: балисо́нг (balisóng) — folding pocket knife
  • Swedish: butterflykniv — folding pocket knife