butterfly swimming Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/sports/butterfly-swimming Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/sports/butterfly-swimming Also known as: butterfly stroke Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jul 22, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Key People: Michael Phelps Libby Trickett Inge de Bruijn Kornelia Ender Mark Spitz (Show more) butterfly, swimming stroke in which the arms are brought forward above the water and the legs kick in unison in an up-and-down (dolphin) motion. The butterfly is used mainly in competition, having evolved from the breaststroke in the mid-20th century. It is the second fastest stroke, after the freestyle, and is often considered to be the most difficult one to master. In a 1933 race American breaststroke swimmer Henry Myers recovered his arms above the water after the pulling motion, which lessened drag and resulted in a faster race time. The variation technically conformed to the rules of the breaststroke ...(100 of 377 words)

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