'Vanessa' definitions:

Definition of 'Vanessa'

From: WordNet
noun
Painted beauty and red admiral [syn: Vanessa, genus Vanessa]

Definition of 'Vanessa'

From: GCIDE
  • Vanessa \Van*es"sa\ (v[a^]n*[e^]s"s[.a]), n. [Probably from Swift's poem of Cadenus and Vanessa. See Vanessa, in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of handsomely colored butterflies belonging to Vanessa and allied genera. Many of these species have the edges of the wings irregularly scalloped. [1913 Webster]