Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for bugloss. Search instead for sea bugloss.

bugloss

American  
[byoo-glos, -glaws] / ˈbju glɒs, -glɔs /

noun

  1. any of various Old World, boraginaceous herbs, as Anchusa officinalis, having rough leaves, used in medicine, and Lycopsis arvensis, a bristly, blue-flowered herb.


bugloss British  
/ ˈbjuːɡlɒs /

noun

  1. any of various hairy Eurasian boraginaceous plants of the genera Anchusa , Lycopsis , and Echium , esp L. arvensis , having clusters of blue flowers See also viper's bugloss

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bugloss

1350–1400; Middle English buglossa < Medieval Latin, for Latin būglōssos < Greek, equivalent to bou-, stem of boûs ox + -glōssos -tongued, adj. derivative of glôssa tongue

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:

The white was ox-eye daisies, bladder campion and wild carrot, with spires of bright blue from viper's bugloss.

From BBC Oct. 30, 2025

The medicinal garden is one of eight discrete beds in the Bonnefont Cloister garden, where Montefusco and his gardeners grow such beguiling medieval herbs as viper’s bugloss, self-heal, cow-cockle and restharrow.

From Washington Post Jun. 9, 2020

The name bugloss is derived from the Greek and means ox-tongue—no doubt in reference to the plant’s rough leaves.

From Springtime and Other Essays by Darwin, Francis, Sir

Put in some mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, a little sage, spinage, marigold leaves and flowers, white or green endive, borage, bugloss, parsley, and sorrel.

From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Eaton, Mary, fl. 1823-1849

Non-fragrant flowers that yield honey are those of the raspberry, clematis, sumac, bugloss, ailanthus, goldenrod, aster, fleabane.

From A Year in the Fields by Burroughs, John

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training