fly agaric

American  

noun

1. a very poisonous common woodland mushroom, Amanita muscaria, having a glossy red or orange cap with white spots, formerly a fly poison.

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fly agaric British  

noun

1. a saprotrophic agaricaceous woodland fungus, Amanita muscaria , having a scarlet cap with white warts and white gills: poisonous but rarely fatal See also amanita

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Etymology

Origin of fly agaric

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fly agaric

But the mycologist believes our relationship with fly agaric goes back further still, all the way to the ancient roots of religion itself.

From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2025

It resembles the psychedelic fly agaric mushroom, a fungus as bright red as Rudolph's schnoz sprinkled with white flecks like snow.

From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2022

In winter, keep an eye out for red and white-speckled fly agaric mushrooms or the booted knight mushroom.

From The Guardian ● May 25, 2018

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "There are several hundred fungi species in the palace garden, including a small number of naturally occurring fly agaric mushrooms."

From Reuters ● Dec. 12, 2014

Great caution should be used in distinguishing it from the fly agaric and from other amanitas.

From Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc. by Atkinson, George Francis