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sea holly
noun
: a European coastal herb (Eryngium maritimum) of the carrot family with spiny leaves and pale blue flowers
Examples of sea holly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For a cat-proof garden, grow plants with prickly stems and leaves, like squash, globe thistle, and sea holly, or plant strongly scented herbs, such as lemon thyme, Russian sage, rosemary, and rue.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2024
Like Eupatorium maculatum [spotted joe-pye weed], Asclepias tuberosa [butterfly weed] and species of echinacea [coneflower], aster and eryngium [sea holly].
—John Wogan Carmen Winant, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Nearby stands a vase holding alpine sea holly.
—Jeanine Barone, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023
The floral arrangements include white dendrobium orchids, which were part of Queen Elizabeth's wedding bouquet in 1947, and sea holly, which echoes the Duke of Edinburgh's career in the Navy and a lifelong love of the sea.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, 29 Mar. 2022
Spiky blue sea holly represented Philip’s naval career and affection for the sea.
—Omid Scobie, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 Mar. 2022
The larger floral arrangements will feature red and white roses, carnations, gerbera, eustoma, white chrysanthemums, blue agapanthus, delphinium, and eryngium (sea holly).
—Emily Burack, Town & Country, 28 Mar. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sea holly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1548, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sea holly
Cite this Entry
“Sea holly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea%20holly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Medical Definition
sea holly
noun
sea hol·ly
ˈsē-ˌhäl-ē
: a European coastal herb of the genus Eryngium (E. maritimum) that has spiny leaves and pale blue flowers and was formerly used as an aphrodisiac
More from Merriam-Webster on sea holly
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sea holly
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