wood anemone

American  

noun

1. any of several anemones, especially Anemone nemorosa, of the Old World, or A. quinquefolia, of the U.S.

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wood anemone British  

noun

1. Also called: windflower.  any of several woodland anemone plants, esp Anemone quinquefolia of E North America and A. nemorosa of Europe, having finely divided leaves and solitary white flowers

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Etymology

Origin of wood anemone

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

Linneus observes that the wood anemone blows in Sweden on the arrival of the swallow; and the marsh mary-gold, Caltha, when the cuckoo sings.

From The Botanic Garden. Part II. Containing the Loves of the Plants. a Poem. With Philosophical Notes. by Darwin, Erasmus

While I have numbered bloodroot among May flowers, it often does appear in April, and before the wood anemone.

From The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming. by Shaw, Ellen Eddy

The coppices are carpeted with primroses, with pansies and wild strawberry blossom,—the woods are spangled with the delicate flowers of the woodsorrel and wood anemone, the meadows enamelled with cowslips....

From Our Village by Mitford, Mary Russell

Among other common examples are the rosy-white hawthorn, wood anemone, bindweed, dropwort, and many others.

From Birds and Man by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)

A wood anemone," he said to himself; "I likened her to a wood anemone.

From Red Pottage by Cholmondeley, Mary