Jump To:

• Dutchman's breeches
  Dutchman's breeches

  noun

  a plant, Dicentra cucullaria, of the fumitory family, having long clusters of pale yellow, two-spurred flowers.
• Dutchman's-breeches
  Dutchman's-breeches

  noun

  (functioning as singular) a North American plant, Dicentra cucullaria, with finely divided basal leaves and pink flowers: family Fumariaceae

Dutchman's breeches

American  

[duhch-muhnz brich-iz] / ˈdʌtʃ mənz ˈbrɪtʃ ɪz /

Or Dutchman's-breeches

noun

1. a plant, Dicentra cucullaria, of the fumitory family, having long clusters of pale yellow, two-spurred flowers.

---

Dutchman's-breeches British  

noun

1. Also called: colicweed.  (functioning as singular) a North American plant, Dicentra cucullaria, with finely divided basal leaves and pink flowers: family Fumariaceae

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• Dutchman's breeches
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Dutchman's breeches

First recorded in 1830–40; so called from the shape of the flowers

Example Sentences

Norway maple is an invasive plant that has escaped from cultivation to displace sugar maple and shade to death spring wildflowers such as Dutchman’s breeches, dog-tooth violet and mayapple.

From Washington Times • Oct. 8, 2019

"Yes, I see a piece of blue big enough for a Dutchman's breeches so I think the rain is over, but you'd better put on your rubbers, Molly."

From Three Little Cousins by Blanchard, Amy Ella

And being unable to pass further on he turned back all cut and slashed like a Dutchman's breeches.

From Stories from the Pentamerone by Basile, Giambattista

“Enough blue sky to make a Dutchman’s breeches indicates clearing,” is one that is true if the wind has changed to the west.

From Reading the Weather by Longstreth, Thomas Morris

There was one place for pinky trillium, and another for gentians; one for tawny adders' tongues, and another for yellow Dutchman's breeches.

From Painted Windows by Peattie, Elia Wilkinson