fritillary

[ frit-l-er-ee ]

noun

, plural frit·il·lar·ies.

1. any of several orange-brown nymphalid butterflies, usually marked with black lines and dots and with silvery spots on the undersides of the wings.

fritillary

/ frɪˈtɪlərɪ /

noun

1. any N temperate liliaceous plant of the genus Fritillaria , having purple or white drooping bell-shaped flowers, typically marked in a chequered pattern See also snake's head
2. any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genera Argynnis, Boloria , etc, having brownish wings chequered with black and silver

Word History and Origins

Origin of fritillary¹

From New Latin, dating back to 1625–35; fritillaria

Word History and Origins

Origin of fritillary¹

C17: from New Latin fritillāria , from Latin fritillus dice box; probably with reference to the spotted markings

Example Sentences

Larger — and faster — than the blues are the bright black-and-orange fritillaries.

From Seattle Times

It is home to 34 of the 59 butterfly species found in the UK, including the white admiral, dainty wood white and England's largest colony of pearl-bordered fritillaries.

From BBC

The distinctive Belted Galloway cattle are being used to help the pearl-bordered fritillary flourish.

From BBC

"If we don't do something then species like the marsh fritillary and countless others will be lost from Wales - this is really the last measure that we've got."

From BBC

In Wiltshire, The Emmett Hill nature reserve is set to quadruple in size to provide habitat for the rare marsh fritillary butterfly.

From BBC