fritillary

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of several orange, brown, or tawny butterflies, especially nymphalids with dark markings and often silvery spots beneath the wings

   A silver-washed fritillary settled on the bramble flowers at the woodland edge.

2. 2
   noun

   a bulbous plant of the genus Fritillaria, typically bearing nodding bell-shaped flowers with checkered or spotted markings

   The snake's-head fritillary opened its purple checkered flowers in the damp meadow.

From Latin fritillus, 'dice box,' probably through New Latin Fritillaria. The name alludes to checkered markings like those associated with a dice board or box and was applied to both the flowers and patterned butterflies.

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