Illustration of bugle
: any of a genus (Ajuga) of plants of the mint family
especially
: a European annual (A. reptans) that has spikes of blue flowers and is naturalized in the U.S.
: a valveless brass instrument that resembles a trumpet and is used especially for military calls
bugled; bugling
ˈbyü-g(ə-)liŋ 
: a small cylindrical bead of glass or plastic used for trimming especially on women's clothing
Did you know?
What is the origin of bugle?
In early English, the word bugle meant “wild ox.” The horns of oxen were made into signaling devices for soldiers and hunters, first called bugle horns. Later this was shortened to bugle.
Examples of bugle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2024
Per Harper's Bazaar, the ensemble, which can be seen below, features a hooded gown by Oscar de la Renta that includes 350,000 silver and white bugle beads that took over 5,000 hours of work to create.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 2 May 2023
The crystal and sequin design featured a dandelion design and bugle bead embroidery,
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
Hornsby plays Kenyatta as a man always standing rigidly at attention, a soldier who hears the bugle calling.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2024
The two parties unite behind the bugle cry that the United States is the indispensable nation uniquely endowed with angelic DNA tasked with cramming political virtue down the throats of adversaries by force and violence — i.e., a warfare state.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024
The number, which retails for $5,990, features a sweeping neckline outlined by bugle bead embroidery and has a high leg slit at the back.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
To select the game’s four tones, Baer researched a variety of musical instruments, eventually choosing the notes G, C, E, and G played on a bugle.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2023
For the Fashion Week event, Sánchez wore a Staud black minidress to her show, embroidered with jet bugle beads and a silver constellation pattern (her fiancé’s love of space shared across many mediums).
—Chloe Malle, Vogue, 13 Nov. 2023
Rob McDonald, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
Campers here love the chance to spot grazing bison and meadows blooming with wildflowers in the spring and summer, as well as bull elk bugling in the fall.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2023
Noun
The play that stuck out to Armando Bacot was the lob from Elliot Cadeau that Withers flushed away in the second half — snapping the Tar Heels out of their first-game-of-March-Madness malaise like a bugle at summer camp does.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2024
Per Harper's Bazaar, the ensemble, which can be seen below, features a hooded gown by Oscar de la Renta that includes 350,000 silver and white bugle beads that took over 5,000 hours of work to create.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 2 May 2023
The crystal and sequin design featured a dandelion design and bugle bead embroidery,
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
Hornsby plays Kenyatta as a man always standing rigidly at attention, a soldier who hears the bugle calling.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2024
The two parties unite behind the bugle cry that the United States is the indispensable nation uniquely endowed with angelic DNA tasked with cramming political virtue down the throats of adversaries by force and violence — i.e., a warfare state.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024
The number, which retails for $5,990, features a sweeping neckline outlined by bugle bead embroidery and has a high leg slit at the back.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
To select the game’s four tones, Baer researched a variety of musical instruments, eventually choosing the notes G, C, E, and G played on a bugle.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2023
For the Fashion Week event, Sánchez wore a Staud black minidress to her show, embroidered with jet bugle beads and a silver constellation pattern (her fiancé’s love of space shared across many mediums).
—Chloe Malle, Vogue, 13 Nov. 2023
Verb
Among golden aspens with bull elk bugling down the canyon, my Orvis Encounter rod and reel combo worked Adams dry flies past slack water to fish lying in wait, flawlessly.
—Rob McDonald, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
Campers here love the chance to spot grazing bison and meadows blooming with wildflowers in the spring and summer, as well as bull elk bugling in the fall.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bugle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English bugle, bugill, borrowed from Anglo-French bugle, borrowed from Medieval Latin bugula, of uncertain origin; perhaps from the same source as Late Latin bugillōn-, bugillō, if it designates the same plant
Noun (2)
Middle English, buffalo, instrument made of buffalo horn, bugle, from Anglo-French, from Latin buculus, diminutive of bos head of cattle — more at cow
Noun (3)
perhaps from bugle entry 2
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
1573, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of bugle was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near bugle
Cite this Entry
“Bugle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bugle. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
bugle
noun
bu·gle
ˈbyü-gəl
: a brass musical instrument like the trumpet but without valves
bugle
verb
bugler
noun
-glər
Etymology
Noun
Middle English bugle "wild ox," from early French bugle (same meaning), from Latin buculus "young steer"
Word Origin
In early English the word bugle meant "wild ox." The horns of oxen were made into signaling devices for soldiers and hunters, first called bugle horns. Later this was shortened to bugle.
More from Merriam-Webster on bugle
Nglish: Translation of bugle for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bugle for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bugle
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