scabious

¹ American  

[skey-bee-uhs] / ˈskeɪ bi əs /

adjective

1. covered with or consisting of scabs; scabby.

2. pertaining to or of the nature of scabies.

---

scabious ² American  

[skey-bee-uhs] / ˈskeɪ bi əs /

noun

1. Also called pincushion flower.  any of various plants belonging to the genus Scabiosa, of the teasel family, having opposite leaves and often showy flower heads in a variety of colors.

2. any of various similar or related plants.

---

scabious ¹ British  

/ ˈskeɪbɪəs /

noun

1. any plant of the genus Scabiosa, esp S. atropurpurea, of the Mediterranean region, having blue, red, or whitish dome-shaped flower heads: family Dipsacaceae

2. any of various similar plants of the related genus Knautia

3. a similar and related Eurasian marsh plant, Succisa pratensis

---

scabious ² British  

/ ˈskeɪbɪəs /

adjective

1. having or covered with scabs

2. of, relating to, or resembling scabies

---

Etymology

Origin of scabious¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; scabi(es) + -ous

Origin of scabious²

1350–1400; Middle English scabiose < Medieval Latin scabiōsa ( herba ) scabies-curing (herb); see scabies, -ous

Example Sentences

Others include the adonis blue butterfly, the armed nomad bee and the red-tailed mason bee, the shining pot beetle and the large scabious mining bee.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

In addition to fulfilling custom orders, they offer a single fresh arrangement each week, available in three sizes, consisting of a lively mix of blooms such as sunflowers, delphiniums, dahlias, agapanthus and scabious.

From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2020

By recreating the glades which once existed in dense forest cover, they provide home for up to 120 flowering species, among them the devil's-bit scabious, globeflower, great burnet, lady's-mantle, oxeye daisy, pignut and wood crane's-bill.

From The Guardian • Dec. 13, 2012

On the moorland behind the cliffs, heather and burnet roses bloomed with azure scabious and white mothmulleins, ladies' tresses and sweet purple orchids.

From Carnival by MacKenzie, Compton

Later on, the blossoms of lime trees, flowers of the honeysuckle, bramble, petunias, scabious, and a host of others.

From Practical Taxidermy A manual of instruction to the amateur in collecting, preserving, and setting up natural history specimens of all kinds. To which is added a chapter upon the pictorial arrangement of museums. With additional instructions in modelling and artistic taxidermy. by Browne, Montagu