a plant, Aquilegia caerula, of the buttercup family, having showy flowers with white petals and white to blue sepals that form long, backward spurs: the state flower of Colorado.
any of various other plants of the genus Aquilegia, characterized by divided leaves and showy flowers of various colors.
of a dove.
dovelike; dove-colored.
a female character in commedia dell'arte and pantomime: sweetheart of Harlequin.
a female given name.
(originally) the character of a servant girl in commedia dell'arte
(later) the sweetheart of Harlequin in English pantomime
1275–1325; Middle English < Medieval Latin columbīna ( herba ) dovelike (plant), feminine of Latin columbīnus ( see columbine 2); the inverted flower looks like a group of doves
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin columbīnus, equivalent to columb ( a ) dove + -īnus -ine 1
1720–30; < Italian Columbina literally, dovelike girl; see columbine 2
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You can help your gardens along by selecting plants that re-seed themselves — flowers such as columbine, coreopsis, and lupine will self-sow and spread throughout your gardens each year.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2022
Our forest floors should be carpeted with Virginia bluebells, trillium, skunk cabbage, jewelweed, ferns, spring beauty, trout lily, columbine and more.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 24, 2022
Seeds of most columbine species do not require cold in order to germinate, but hot soil temperatures should be avoided.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 6, 2022
In his absence, my attention immediately shifted to something his presence had obscured — a golden columbine bush.
From New York Times ● Jan. 9, 2019
I add bouquets of columbine, fennel, and daisies from my garden.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Ask Sue Klebold, mother of one of the Columbine killers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
After an early version of the script made the rounds online, TMZ got in touch with Tom Mauser, whose son, Daniel, was killed in the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026
Cullen was one of the journalists who reported in the immediate aftermath of the Columbine High School shooting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2025
Mendo still lives in the area, and her 5-year-old daughter attends school near Columbine.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 17, 2024
None of this was awfully far in his past and, as we talked about Columbine, the anger bubbled up, still fresh.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
