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
Thick vegetation lines the trail, including giant cottonwood, creek dogwood, willow and red cedar trees, as well as various species of fern, red columbine, thistle, wild ginger and dozens of other native plants.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 11, 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
A short-lived perennial, columbine grows best in well-drained soil with afternoon shade.
From Time ● Sep. 24, 2017
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
When asked where she finds the strength to comfort these children, Jung didn’t hesitate: “From them. There’s no teacher who gets into teaching after Columbine who isn’t ready to die for their kids,” she said.
From Salon ● Mar. 2, 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
“I grabbed my little girl and clenched her to my chest,” one mom, a Columbine survivor, told him on the day her own daughter started kindergarten.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023
The Columbine High School tragedy made the Freedom Writers realize how fortunate they were.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
