foxglove

noun fox·glove \ ˈfäks-ˌgləv \

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Definition of foxglove

: any of a genus (Digitalis) of erect herbs of the snapdragon family; especially : a common European biennial or perennial (D. purpurea) cultivated for its showy racemes of dotted white or purple tubular flowers and as a source of digitalis

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Recent Examples of foxglove from the Web

Among flowers, good bets are breadseed or ladybird poppies, California poppies, foxglove, nigella, columbine, nicotiana, bachelor’s buttons, cosmos, coreopsis, calendula and scabiosa.

— pam peirce, SFChronicle.com, "The joy of seed saving," 6 July 2018
The cardiac medicine Digoxin, for instance, is from a plant called foxglove.

— doug williams, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Turmeric: superfood or superhype," 25 June 2018
The strong vertical of a verbasicum or foxglove will act as an exclamation point.

— amy merrick, WSJ, "5 Lessons From the Punk Rockers of Gardening," 26 Apr. 2018
Carole Silver cites changelings killed by foxglove baths in Wales in 1857, and in Donegal in the 1870s and 1890s.

— Longreads, "Fairy Scapegoats: A History of the Persecution of Changeling Children," 9 June 2018
Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images The Flowers The flowers on display in St. George's Chapel featured plants like beech, birch, and hornbeam among white garden roses, peonies, and foxgloves.

— rachel epstein, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle Honored Princess Diana in the Sweetest Ways," 19 May 2018
Kensington Palace previously revealed that roses, peonies and foxgloves also will be in the church arrangements at Saturday’s wedding.

— BostonGlobe.com, "For Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, even the greenery has royal roots," 16 May 2018
On the surrounding grounds, cornflowers, foxglove and lily of the valley will be in full force this month, and the air, even in smoggy London, will be scented with apple blossom.

— joanna pocock, latimes.com, "Romance is in the air at London's green spaces," 13 May 2018
One favorite many would like to grow is the foxglove.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Great flowers that need an early start," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'foxglove.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of foxglove

before 12th century

in the meaning defined above

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FOXGLOVE Defined for English Language Learners

foxglove

noun

Definition of foxglove for English Language Learners

: a tall plant that has many white or purple bell-shaped flowers growing on its stem

Medical Dictionary

foxglove

noun fox·glove \ ˈfäks-ˌgləv \

medical Definition of foxglove

: any plant of the genus Digitalis; especially : a common European biennial or perennial (D. purpurea) cultivated for its showy racemes of dotted white or purple tubular flowers and as a source of digitalis