Tropical butterflies, for example (6,2,6)
I believe the answer is:
figure of speech
This clue could be a double definition.
'tropical butterflies for' is the first definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'example' is the second definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to communication as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for figure of speech that I've seen before include "Oxymoron is" , "writer's technique for creating an effect" , "Eg, hyperbole" , "Politician's quoted statistic" , "Idiomatic use" .)