baby's-breath

Or ba·bies'-breath

[bey-beez-breth]

noun

1. a tall plant, Gypsophila paniculata, of the pink family, having lance-shaped leaves and numerous small, fragrant, white or pink flowers.

baby's-breath

noun

1. a tall Eurasian caryophyllaceous plant, Gypsophila paniculata , bearing small white or pink fragrant flowers

2. any of several other plants, such as the grape hyacinth and certain bedstraws, that have small scented flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of baby's-breath¹

First recorded in 1885–90; so called from its delicate odor and bloom

Example Sentences

Myriad baby’s-breath flowers spray-painted silver were chosen by Givenchy as the show decor inside its illustrious couture salons.

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“My son was killed in this war,” Janet Long said after she left roses and baby’s-breath at her son’s grave.

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On the stalks of larkspur and phlox she laid a mass of pink snapdragons and white candytuft, tucking in here and there sprays of just-opening baby’s-breath to give a misty look to the basket.

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Patsy and the tinker marked how close things huddled to it, even creeping on to cover stones and gravel stretches; there were moss and ferns and little, clinging things, like baby’s-breath and linnea.

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