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fairy ring

noun

any of numerous mushrooms of meadows and open woods, especially the well-known Marasmius oreades, that spread in rings originating from mycelial growth: formerly supposed to mark the paths laid by dancing fairies.

fairy ring

noun

a ring of dark luxuriant vegetation in grassy ground corresponding to the edge of an underground fungal mycelium: popularly associated with the dancing of fairies: seasonally marked by a ring of mushrooms
short for fairy ring mushroom, Marasmius oreades , a dainty buff-coloured edible basidiomycetous fungus, characteristically forming rings in grassland

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Word History and Origins

Origin of fairy ring¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

For years, fairy circles—named for their resemblance to the circular formation of mushrooms known as “fairy rings”—have fascinated scientists and stirred up an intense debate over their provenance.

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If you ever made fairy rings as a child, the Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve, located near Seabeck, has a hike you’ll like.

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But in the ongoing scientific discussion of these fairy rings, microbes may have just joined the party.

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Still, we head to Prospect Park almost every afternoon to run races, climb trees, fly kites, squelch in mud puddles or search for fairy rings.

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“If you ever have your pet eat even a small piece of a fairy ring mushroom, get it out ASAP,” Barry wrote on Facebook.

From

fairy primrose fairy shrimp

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