bronze fennel

noun

: any of various ornamental cultivars of the fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) having upright clumps of finely divided, bronze or purplish-bronze leaves

In the ornamental bed, bronze fennel looks great in front of a backdrop of bright green foliage. When it is in bloom, bronze fennel has few rivals—its extravagant lace doily flowers are a magnet for hover flies, bees and butterflies.

—Adrienne Cook, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2002

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!