Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

papillon

 
Dictionary: pap·il·lon   (păp'ə-lŏn', pä'pē-yôN') pronunciation
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Dictionary
n.
Any of a breed of small dog related to the spaniel, having a long silky coat, a bushy tail that curves over its back, and large ears shaped like the wings of a butterfly.

[French, from Old French, butterfly, from Latin pāpiliō, pāpiliōn-. See pavilion.]


Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: papillon
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Breed of toy dog known from the 16th century, when it was called a dwarf spaniel. A favorite of Marie-Antoinette, it appeared in paintings by Old Masters. It acquired its name (French for "butterfly") in the late 19th century, when a variety with large, flaring ears became fashionable. Another variety has drooping ears. A slender, graceful dog with a plumed tail, it stands 11 in. (28 cm) or less and weighs up to 11 lbs (5 kg). The soft, full coat is usually white, with darker patches.

For more information on papillon, visit Britannica.com.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: papillon
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Columbia Encyclopedia
papillon (păp'əlŏn'), breed of toy dog whose origins are obscure but whose widespread existence in Europe is attested to as early as the 17th cent. It stands from 8 to 11 in. (20.3-27.9 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 5 to 11 lb (2.3-5 kg). Its long, straight, abundant coat is fine and silky and forms a fringe of longer hair on the ears, chest, back of legs, and tail. Believed to have developed from a now extinct dwarf Belgian spaniel, the papillon derives its name, which means "butterfly" in French, from the unique appearance of its obliquely set, wing-shaped ears. The papillon was very fashionable as a lapdog in the courts of Europe. Today it is raised as a companion and house pet. See dog.

Veterinary Dictionary: Papillon
Top
Home > Library > Animal Life > Veterinary Dictionary

A small, dainty dog with an alert expression, rounded head and long, silky coat in white with colored patches. The large, rounded ears are distinctive with their flowing fringe of hair and may be erect, resembling a butterfly, hence the name of the breed, or they may be dropped, a type called Phalene (moth) which is registered and shown as a separate breed in come countries. Called also butterfly dog.

Wikipedia: Papillon
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Search Wiktionary Look up papillon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Papillon (the French word for butterfly) may refer to:

In animals:

In music:

See also


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Best of the Web: papillon
Top

Some good "papillon" pages on the web:


Dog
www.dogbreedinfo.com
 
Shopping: papillon
Top
papillon white wine
 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Papillon".  Read more