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columbine

noun col·um·bine \ ˈkä-ləm-ˌbīn \
|Updated on: 21 Jul 2018

Definition of columbine

: any of a genus (Aquilegia) of plants of the buttercup family with irregular showy spurred flowers: such as
a : a red-flowered plant (A. canadensis) of eastern North America
b : a blue-flowered plant (A. caerulea) of the Rocky Mountains

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Recent Examples of columbine from the Web

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Illustration of columbine

illustration of columbine

Origin and Etymology of columbine

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin columbina, from Latin, feminine of columbinus like a dove, from columba dove; akin to Old High German holuntar elder tree, Greek kolymbos a small grebe, kelainos black

Columbine

noun Col·um·bine \ ˈkä-ləm-ˌbīn , -ˌbēn \

Definition of Columbine

: the saucy sweetheart of Harlequin in comedy and pantomime

Origin and Etymology of columbine

Italian Colombina

COLUMBINE Defined for English Language Learners

columbine

noun

Definition of columbine for English Language Learners

  • : a plant that has flowers with five petals that are thin and pointed

COLUMBINE Defined for Kids

columbine

noun col·um·bine \ ˈkä-ləm-ˌbīn \

Definition of columbine for Students

: a plant that has leaves with three parts and showy flowers usually with five petals that are thin and pointed

Learn More about columbine

  1. See words that rhyme with columbine Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about columbine

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