[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

vanessa \vanes"sa\ va^ne^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
see also:
vanessa 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

vanessa
     n : painted beauty and red admiral syn: genus vanessa
see also:
genus vanessa 

Vanessa >> V Words
Vanessa, definition of term: Vanessa
vanessa_pag1.html