catananche

British

/ ˌkætəˈnæŋkɪ /

noun

Also called: cupid's dart. any of the hardy perennial genus Catananche, from S Europe; some, esp C. caerulea, are grown for their blue-and-white flowers that can be dried as winter decoration: family Asteraceae

"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 catananche

from Greek katanangkē a spell (from their use in love potions)

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.

The most beautiful flower then blooming was the catananche, which has won its poetic French name, Cupidon bleu, by the brilliant colour of its blossom.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023