Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Colored as if washed over with silver; frosted; hoary; pruinose: as, the silver-washed fritillary, Argynnis paphia, a British butterfly.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • This has had a positive effect on other woodland wildlife, with butterflies such as the silver-washed fritillary thriving in the sunny, open rides between the stands of trees.

    Birdwatch: Pheasant 2011

  • This has had a positive effect on other woodland wildlife, with butterflies such as the silver-washed fritillary thriving in the sunny, open rides between the stands of trees.

    Birdwatch: Pheasant 2011

  • A silver-washed fritillary – all tawny orange with black cryptic wing texts and flashes of mother-of-pearl – flew in and was immediately mobbed by ringlet and meadow-brown butterflies.

    Country diary: Wenlock Edge 2011

  • It was a silver-washed fritillary, the largest and most impressive of all the British fritillaries and one that has bucked the dismal trend and expanded its range after years of contraction.

    Country diary: Cosford Hall, Suffolk 2011

  • In sunny moments I can count a hundred bumbles on 20 yards of thistles, and the open banks of limestone grassland in the wood come alive with butterflies: gatekeepers, meadow browns, commas, peacocks and silver-washed fritillaries.

    Country diary: Wenlock Edge 2010

  • Last week the berries were the same rich amber colour as silver-washed fritillary butterfly wings.

    Country diary: Wenlock Edge 2010

  • On the undersides flashed panels of mother-of-pearl, which gave them the "silver-washed" moniker.

    Country diary: Wenlock Edge 2010

  • Then a couple of silver-washed fritillaries showed up and the atmosphere changed.

    Country diary: Wenlock Edge 2010

  • She would, of course, be very impressed with Lan, in his suit of silver-washed chain mail, well-used sword at his side, his weather-tanned face and a few attractive scars showing his courage and experience, and a devil-may-care smile telling of his past conquests among the ladies.

    Brightly Burning Lackey, Mercedes 2000

  • But the colors were quite amazing; gold-washed vermilion, purple-washed blue, silver-washed green-

    The Elvenbane Lackey, Mercedes 1991

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