speedwell

American  

[speed-wel] / ˈspidˌwɛl /

noun

1. any of several plants, shrubs, or small trees of the genus Veronica, of the figwort family, having opposite leaves and small flowers.

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speedwell British  

/ ˈspiːdˌwɛl /

noun

1. any of various temperate scrophulariaceous plants of the genus Veronica, such as V. officinalis ( heath speedwell ) and V. chamaedrys ( germander speedwell ), having small blue or pinkish white flowers

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Etymology

Origin of speedwell

1570–80; speed + well ¹; so called because its petals fade and fall early

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

speedwell

Autumn Joy sedum and speedwell, a purple flower that reminded me of a gnome’s hat, were still going strong.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 31, 2022

Flowering examples of germander speedwell, daffodil and chicory cast shadows and consort with the odd caterpillar or beetle, surrounded by borders of more schematic leaf motifs that nonetheless have space for some quite real-looking birds.

From New York Times ● Jun. 5, 2014

Then there would be some wrangling as to whether ugliness was the test of weeds, till Socrates would make it clear that this would involve omitting speedwell and the scarlet pimpernel from the list.

From The Pleasures of Ignorance by Robert Lynd

The gorse is yellow on the heath; The banks of speedwell flowers are gay; The oaks are budding, and beneath, The hawthorn soon will bear the wreath, The silver wreath of May.

From Literature for Children by Orton Lowe

The hawthorn was bursting into leaf, all bright and green, and here and there the wild flowers were showing themselves, the buttercup and the speedwell.

From The Hero by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham

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