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bugloss

American  
[byoo-glos, -glaws] / ˈbju glɒs, -glɔs /

noun

  1. any of various Old World, boraginaceous herbs, as Anchusa officinalis, having rough leaves, used in medicine, and Lycopsis arvensis, a bristly, blue-flowered herb.


bugloss British  
/ ˈbjuːɡlɒs /

noun

  1. any of various hairy Eurasian boraginaceous plants of the genera Anchusa , Lycopsis , and Echium , esp L. arvensis , having clusters of blue flowers See also viper's bugloss

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bugloss

1350–1400; Middle English buglossa < Medieval Latin, for Latin būglōssos < Greek, equivalent to bou-, stem of boûs ox + -glōssos -tongued, adj. derivative of glôssa tongue

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The white was ox-eye daisies, bladder campion and wild carrot, with spires of bright blue from viper's bugloss.

From BBC Oct. 30, 2025

The medicinal garden is one of eight discrete beds in the Bonnefont Cloister garden, where Montefusco and his gardeners grow such beguiling medieval herbs as viper’s bugloss, self-heal, cow-cockle and restharrow.

From Washington Post Jun. 9, 2020

In places the hare-bells and Canterbury bells and the bugloss are so abundant as to make a whole valley-floor blue as in MacWhirter's picture.

From More Science From an Easy Chair by Lankester, E. Ray (Edwin Ray), Sir

Upon the platform, which I was able to reach by means of ladders and the half-ruinous spiral staircase, viper's bugloss spread its brilliant blue flowers over the dark stones, and enticed the high-soaring bees.

From Wanderings by southern waters, eastern Aquitaine by Barker, Edward Harrison

Endive, succory, lacture, violet, clary, Liverwort, marigold, sorrel, hart's-tongue, and sage: Pennyroyal, purslane, bugloss, and boràge, With many very good herbs, mo than I do name.

From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2 by Hazlitt, William Carew

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