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fritillary

Syllabification: (frit·il·lar·y)

Pronunciation: /ˈfritlˌerē/

Definition of fritillary

noun

(plural fritillaries)

1a Eurasian plant of the lily family, with hanging bell-like flowers.
- Genus Fritillaria, family Liliaceae: numerous species

2a butterfly with orange-brown wings that are checkered with black.
- Subfamilies Argynninae and Melitaeinae, family Nymphalidae: Argynnis, Speyeria, and other genera, and numerous species, including the North American great spangled fritillary (S. cybele)

Origin:

mid 17th century: from modern Latin fritillaria, from Latin fritillus 'dice box' (probably with reference to the checkered corolla of the snake's-head fritillary)

fritillary in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of fritillary in the British & World English dictionary

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