bluebell

American  

[bloo-bel] / ˈbluˌbɛl /

noun

1. any of numerous plants of the bellflower family, having blue, bell-shaped flowers, as a bellflower or harebell.

2. Also called wood hyacinth.  an Old World plant, Endymion non-scriptus, of the lily family, having blue, bell-shaped flowers.

3. any of various other plants having blue flowers, as those of the genus Mertensia.

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bluebell British  

/ ˈbluːˌbɛl /

noun

1. Also called: wild hyacinth.   wood hyacinth.  a European liliaceous woodland plant, Hyacinthoides (or Endymion ) non-scripta , having a one-sided cluster of blue bell-shaped flowers

2. Also called: Spanish bluebell.  a similar and related plant, hispanica , widely grown in gardens and becoming naturalized

3. a Scot name for harebell

4. any of various other plants with blue bell-shaped flowers

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Other Word Forms

• bluebelled adjective

Etymology

Origin of bluebell

First recorded in 1570–80; blue + bell ¹

Example Sentences

I have fond memories of the woods in Sussex, where I grew up, filling with primroses early in the year and carpeted with bluebells in the spring.

From BBC

The dispersed woodlands of western Illinois, where I now live, are filled with many of the plants you’d expect: oaks, bluebells and honeysuckle.

From Salon

"The landscape has changed dramatically because the cows have been here for about three seasons and you notice there's very little bracken and there are bluebells coming up."

From BBC

The flowers were picked on Wednesday on the grounds of Windsor Castle and the surrounding estate - and included rosemary representing remembrance, oak for longevity and endurance, and bluebells for gratitude.

From BBC

Looking at when bluebells and frogspawn start to appear in the spring shows some clear trends over time.

From BBC