pāpĭlĭo, ōnis, m. [cf. πάλλω, brandish; palpitare, pila], a butterfly, moth.
I Lit.: ferali mutant cum papilione figuram, Ov. M. 15, 374; cf. Plin. 11, 19, 21, § 65; 21, 14, 47, § 81; 28, 10, 45, § 162.—Also of other winged insects, Plin. 11, 32, 37, § 112; 11, 23, 27, § 77.—
II Transf., a tent , pavilion : in expeditionibus apertis papilionibus prandit atque coenavit, Lampr. Alex. Sev. 51; Spart. Pescen. 11; Treb. Poll. Trig. Tyr. 16; Tert. ad Mart. 3; Vulg. Exod. 33, 8; id. Num. 16, 27; id. 2 Reg. 11, 11. The Fratres Arvales also made use of such tents when making their offerings in the grove of Dia, Inscr. Marin. Fratr. Arv. n. 41.