Indian paintbrush
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of Indian paintbrush
An Americanism dating back to 1890–95
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The area is home to San Bernardino flying squirrels and ash-gray Indian paintbrush, a federally protected plant found only in the San Bernardino Mountains.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2025
As snow melts in the mountains, meadows come alive with a rainbow of wildflowers like lupine, beargrass and Indian paintbrush.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2022
Above the meadow strewn with Indian paintbrush flowers, the constellations seemed to swirl together in a swallowing immensity.
From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2021
Vivid blue-violet lupins, magenta fireweed, fragrant dark pink sweet peas and pale Indian paintbrush bloomed on the green ground.
From The Guardian • Aug. 27, 2015
She came through green grass fields that bloomed with Indian paintbrush, red and orange, and blueeyed grass.
From "Sarah, Plain and Tall" by Patricia MacLachlan
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.
