nosegay
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of nosegay
1375–1425; late Middle English: literally, a gay (obsolete, something pretty; see gay) for the nose (i.e., to smell)
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.
In 1859, Nightingale wrote that when she had been ill, her recovery quickened after she received “a nosegay of wild flowers”.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 14, 2020
The tradition of carrying myrtle began after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert's grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2018
When “Me and My Girl” opened on Broadway in 1986, Mel Gussow of The New York Times called it “a nosegay of nostalgia.”
From New York Times ● May 10, 2018
Dried flowers; a nosegay, a posy, a rose clipped the night before battle.
From The Verge ● Mar. 31, 2018
“They’re beautiful,” I say as he offers me a small, tight nosegay of calla lilies so purple they’re almost black.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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