autumn leaf

English

Autumn leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide) in Bali, Indonesia

A fallen autumn leaf, to which the butterfly species is likened

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːf

Noun

autumn leaf (plural autumn leafs)

1. An Asian nymphalid butterfly, Doleschallia bisaltide.

   Synonym: leafwing

Noun

autumn leaf (plural autumn leaves)

1. One of many leaves that fall from a deciduous tree in autumn.
   • 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London-Birmingham services - Part, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 105:

     The "King" responded well to this treatment and would have maintained 60 m.p.h. up the steepest part had it not been for a brief bout of slipping, which was quickly corrected by Driver Bailes ("Autumn leaves", he remarked laconically).

Further reading

• autumn leaf on Wikipedia.Wikipedia