primrose
noun
any plant of the genus Primula, as P. vulgaris English primrose, of Europe, having yellow flowers, or P. sinensis Chinese primrose, of China, having flowers in a variety of colors.
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primrose
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Primrose
PrimrosenounArchibald Philip, 5th Earl of Rosebery. Rosebery, Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of.
primrose
1 American
[prim-rohz]
/ ˈprɪmˌroʊz /
noun
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primroses
plural
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any plant of the genus Primula, as P. vulgaris English primrose, of Europe, having yellow flowers, or P. sinensis Chinese primrose, of China, having flowers in a variety of colors.
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pale yellow.
adjective
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of or relating to the primrose.
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Also primrosed abounding in primroses.
a primrose garden.
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of a pale yellow.
Primrose
2
American
[prim-rohz]
/ ˈprɪmˌroʊz /
noun
primrose
British
/ ˈprɪmˌrəʊz /
noun
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any of various temperate primulaceous plants of the genus Primula, esp P. vulgaris of Europe, which has pale yellow flowers
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short for evening primrose
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Also called: primrose yellow. a light to moderate yellow, sometimes with a greenish tinge
adjective
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of, relating to, or abounding in primroses
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of the colour primrose
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pleasant or gay
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of primrose
1375–1425; late Middle English primerose < Medieval Latin prīma rosa first rose
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.
See Examples For:
In wet winters, the valleys beyond town awaken in color as sand verbena, desert sunflower, evening primrose and pincushion gather in brief, luminous blooms across the desert floor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2026
The bright yellow desert gold is currently one of the most prominent flowers on display, alongside brown-eyed primrose, grape soda lupine and desert star.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
At field sites in eastern Washington, the researchers collected scent samples from pale evening primrose flowers.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 8, 2024
Everything from the primrose to the milkweed to the Echinacea purpurea, is allowed to flourish.
From National Geographic ● Jul. 20, 2023
The primrose did not mind it quite so much.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
People out and about on the parched grass of Primrose Hill, London.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
The Lescoulies’ cows were in Venice; a Mr. Martin kept his on Primrose Avenue in Hollywood, where the early farmhouse was lately priced at about $2 million.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2026
Filmed in the UK heatwave of 2022, Last Swim takes Ziba and her group of friends through well-known spots of London such as Portobello Road, Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill by car, bike and train.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2025
In response, Airbnb tells the BBC it has not disclosed the location of the house and is making a “sizeable donation” to the Primrose Hill Community Association.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2024
Not since her week in Primrose Hill, typing out the novella, and what a foolish excitement that seemed now.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
After the long British winter, creamy primroses and pink campions push out from the banks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026
The letter also refers to primroses the late queen had picked, which she instructed be shared among staff at Royal Lodge.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
Evening primroses are thin and crinkled with a tissue-like texture, which is one of my favorite textures to incorporate in my work.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2022
It’s traditional to add color with winter-blooming annuals such as primroses, or the showier red, white or pink cyclamen.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 24, 2021
A blue powdering of forget-me-nots and fine, fat yellow primroses punctuated the green of the slope as the two children walked up the hill toward the Frobishers’ little mausoleum.
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
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.
