butterflies.

A fluttering sensation in the stomach associated with nervous anticipation.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• have butterflies
• butterflies in the stomach
• a stomach full of butterflies

On the page

She had butterflies long before her name appeared on the screen.

The butterflies returned when he saw his parents in the audience.

Taking a slow breath did not remove the butterflies, but it helped her speak.

Usage notes

Primary category: fear. Figurative, conversational, and plural; can accompany excitement rather than dread. Not literal abdominal injury. Plural-only noun in the nervous-stomach sense; no singular butterfly in this sense. The literal insect noun has singular butterfly and plural butterflies, but is not selected here.