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 origin
C17: from New Latin fritillāria, from Latin fritillus dice box; probably with reference to the spotted markings
Examples of 'fritillaries' in a sentence
fritillaries
And then his voice fell low as he whispered a prayer for the larval fritillaries ' spirits, `Liliji, mi alasharia la shantih.
Zindell, David THE BROKEN GOD
These narrow stems are one of the most distinctive characteristics of fritillaries.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The fritillaries have a quite different kind of beauty.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What is eating the leaves and flowers on my fritillaries?
The Sun (2017)
Slugs and snails are partial to fritillaries.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Snake's head fritillaries are particularly choosy about where they colonise.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Early in the year, it is a sea of snowdrops, fritillaries and narcissus.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Two thirds of fritillaries have disappeared in the past few decades.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Pristine white admirals and silver-washed fritillaries have emerged.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Those fritillaries had long gone, leaving only an echo, a trace of memory.