fritillary

American  

[frit-l-er-ee] / ˈfrɪt lˌɛr i /

noun

fritillaries plural

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.

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fritillary British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fritillaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fritillary

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fritillary fritillaries

A survey of the Blean will focus on six endangered species that are found there, including the the heath fritillary butterfly, one of the UK's rarest, and the turtle dove.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

The Species in Peril report warns others could face a similar fate, including the high brown fritillary butterfly and rainbow-coloured Snowdon leaf beetle, Arctic-Alpine pea mussel, woolly feather-moss and eyed chestnut wrinkle-lichen.

From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025

The bright-orange Gulf fritillary, for example, is thriving not on native plants but on flowers popular in home gardens, Forister said.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 4, 2021

According to Bourn, this species only endured here because volunteers picked up its caterpillars before meadows were mowed, and returned them after, and there was no prospect of the marsh fritillary spreading across the countryside.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 13, 2020

The day didn’t begin to look up until I caught a spotted fritillary butterfly.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 15, 2024

I’ve given up on fritillaries, which are, in my experience, one-shot wonders in hot, humid regions.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 20, 2020

They include blues, whites, sulphurs, coppers, fritillaries, wood nymphs, skippers, crescents and checkerspots.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 24, 2016

"Woodland butterflies, fritillaries in particular, are associated with gaps or temporary hotspots within the woods."

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2012

Magdalen Meadow preserves still the well-beloved Oxford fritillaries, which are in danger of being extirpated in the fields below Iffley by the crowds who gather them to sell in the Oxford market.

From The Charm of Oxford by Wells, J. (Joseph)