what is a painted lady?
Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: painted lady(Noun) A cryptic patterned butterfly, Vanessa cardui, of the family Nymphalidae. Painted Lady. The Cynthia group of colourful butterflies, commonly called painted ladies, comprises a subgenus of the genus Vanessa in the Family Nymphalidae. They are well known throughout most of the world.