columbine
1[ kol-uhm-bahyn ]
/ ˈkɒl əmˌbaɪn /
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noun
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.
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Origin of columbine
11275–1325; Middle English <Medieval Latin columbīna (herba) dovelike (plant), feminine of Latin columbīnus (see columbine2); the inverted flower looks like a group of doves
Words nearby columbine
Definition for columbine (2 of 3)
columbine2
[ kol-uhm-bahyn, -bin ]
/ ˈkɒl əmˌbaɪn, -bɪn /
adjective
of a dove.
dovelike; dove-colored.
Origin of columbine
2Definition for columbine (3 of 3)
Columbine
[ kol-uhm-bahyn ]
/ ˈkɒl əmˌbaɪn /
noun
a female character in commedia dell'arte and pantomime: sweetheart of Harlequin.
a female given name.
Origin of Columbine
1720–30; <Italian Columbina literally, dovelike girl; see columbine2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for columbine
British Dictionary definitions for columbine (1 of 3)
columbine1
/ (ˈkɒləmˌbaɪn) /
noun
any plant of the ranunculaceous genus Aquilegia, having purple, blue, yellow, or red flowers with five spurred petalsAlso called: aquilegia
Word Origin for columbine
C13: from Medieval Latin columbīna herba dovelike plant, from Latin columbīnus dovelike, from the resemblance of the flower to a group of doves
British Dictionary definitions for columbine (2 of 3)
columbine2
/ (ˈkɒləmˌbaɪn) /
adjective
of, relating to, or resembling a dove
Word Origin for columbine
C14: from Old French colombin, from Latin columbīnus dovelike, from columba dove
British Dictionary definitions for columbine (3 of 3)
Columbine
/ (ˈkɒləmˌbaɪn) /
noun
(originally) the character of a servant girl in commedia dell'arte
(later) the sweetheart of Harlequin in English pantomime
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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