fritillary
noun
frit·il·lary
ˈfri-tə-ˌler-ē 
plural fritillaries
1
2
: any of numerous nymphalid butterflies (Argynnis, Speyeria, and related genera) that usually are orange with black spots on the upper side of both wings and silver spotted on the underside of the hind wing
Examples of fritillary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacobsen translated four of Van Gogh’s floral paintings into three-dimensional metalwork creations depicting irises, roses, oleanders and imperial fritillaries.
—
Madeline King, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2025
Within that subgroup, the greater fritillaries belong to the genus Speyeria, and the Speyeria in turn belong to a family, the Nymphalidae, that goes back ninety million years.
—Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Violets are host plants for the endangered regal fritillary.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 18 May 2025
Purple mouse ears, fragrant fritillary and woodland wooly thread tend to grow primarily in serpentine habitats, as do the Coastal tidy tips and the California poppy.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025
Regal fritillaries, the iconic butterflies of Iowa, are facing an increasing threat of population decline.
—Linh Ta, Axios, 4 Sep. 2024
In Nebraska, scientists working for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are increasingly relying on casual researchers and citizen scientists to better understand three creatures in particular: spotted skunks, salamanders, and regal fritillary and monarch butterflies.
—Guest, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2019
Sébastien Blomme won the highly competitive Plants category with his photograph of a delicate Snake’s-head fritillary framed by the distant shape of a tree.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
Regal fritillary butterflies, which subsist on violets and stick to prairie habitats, are disappearing.
—From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Madeline King, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2025
Within that subgroup, the greater fritillaries belong to the genus Speyeria, and the Speyeria in turn belong to a family, the Nymphalidae, that goes back ninety million years.
—Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Violets are host plants for the endangered regal fritillary.
—Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 18 May 2025
Purple mouse ears, fragrant fritillary and woodland wooly thread tend to grow primarily in serpentine habitats, as do the Coastal tidy tips and the California poppy.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025
Regal fritillaries, the iconic butterflies of Iowa, are facing an increasing threat of population decline.
—Linh Ta, Axios, 4 Sep. 2024
In Nebraska, scientists working for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are increasingly relying on casual researchers and citizen scientists to better understand three creatures in particular: spotted skunks, salamanders, and regal fritillary and monarch butterflies.
—Guest, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2019
Sébastien Blomme won the highly competitive Plants category with his photograph of a delicate Snake’s-head fritillary framed by the distant shape of a tree.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
Regal fritillary butterflies, which subsist on violets and stick to prairie habitats, are disappearing.
—From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Fritillary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fritillary. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fritillary
noun
frit·il·lary
ˈfrit-ᵊl-ˌer-ē
plural fritillaries
: any of numerous butterflies that are usually orange with black spots on the upper side of both wings and silver spotted on the underside of the hind wings
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share