cornflower

[ kawrn-flou-er ]

/ ˈkɔrnˌflaʊ ər /

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noun

Also called bachelor's-button, bluebottle. a European composite plant, Centaurea cyanus, growing in grainfields, having blue to white flower heads, often cultivated as an ornamental.

Also called cornflower blue . a deep, vivid blue.

corn cockle.

strawflower (def. 2).

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

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Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

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Origin of cornflower

First recorded in 1570–80; corn¹ + flower

Words nearby cornflower

cornfield, cornfield ant, cornflag, cornflakes, corn flour, cornflower, Cornforth, corn gluten, corn grits, cornhole, cornhouse

How to use cornflower in a sentence

His eyes—as blue as ice, or cornflowers, or the Earth as viewed by astronauts, and previously alive to everything Madeleine might have done or said—simply close up shop.
No Time to Die Is an Imperfect Movie. But It’s a Perfect Finale for the Best James Bond Ever|Stephanie Zacharek|September 29, 2021|Time
With her broad, good-natured face and cornflower blue eyes she was a miniature Gretchen.
Blue Robin, the Girl Pioneer|Rena I. Halsey
Centaurea (Cornflower), all shades of blue; three feet; blooms three months if kept cut.
A Woman's Hardy Garden|Helena Rutherfurd Ely
Sofas covered in cornflower-blue velvet offered you a luxurious repose.
'Midst the Wild Carpathians|Mr Jkai

In the back part of the room an easy sofa covered with cornflower blue velvet invited one to rest.
The Golden Age in Transylvania|Mr Jkai
In the farmhouse were only two young girls, the elder a charming golden-haired fairy with tender eyes of cornflower blue.
With Steyn and De Wet|Philip Pienaar

British Dictionary definitions for cornflower

cornflower

/ (ˈkɔːnˌflaʊə) /

noun

a Eurasian herbaceous plant, Centaurea cyanus, with blue, purple, pink, or white flowers, formerly a common weed in cornfields: family Asteraceae (composites)Also called: bluebottle See also bachelor's-buttons

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