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bellflower
noun
bell·flow·er
ˈbel-ˌflau̇(-ə)r
: any of a genus (Campanula of the family Campanulaceae, the bellflower family) of widely cultivated herbs having alternate leaves and usually showy bell-shaped flowers
Examples of bellflower in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
More on Design During or after its maritime service, its original gilding and carvings of bellflowers were stripped away.
—Eve M. Kahn, New York Times, 8 May 2024
The idyllic courtyard blooms year round, featuring hydrangeas in May and June, bellflowers in August and September, and even winter tropical plants in January.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2024
For example, creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides), with attractive spikes of purple bell-like blooms, is shade-tolerant and reseeds freely.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2023
In sunnier locales are Parry’s bellflower, yarrow, lupine and beardlip penstemon.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 6 July 2023
The powder-blue piece — a combination table, chair, and lamp with a glass shade that looks like a bellflower — feels like it’s been plucked from a dream.
—Diana Budds, Curbed, 4 Mar. 2022
Chris HackettGetty Images Part of the bellflower family, this long-living perennial is easy to please.
—Terri Robertson, Country Living, 27 June 2022
Examples are amur maple, burning bush, lily-of-the-valley, orange daylily, creeping bellflower and various barberry.
—Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5 May 2022
Her design features the nodding petals of Campanula divaricata (bellflower), the white puffs of Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea), and the purple stars of Aquilegia vulgaris (columbine).
—Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bellflower.' 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
1578, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to bellflower
Dictionary Entries Near bellflower
Cite this Entry
“Bellflower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellflower. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
bellflower
noun
bell·flow·er
ˈbel-ˌflau̇(-ə)r
: any of various herbs that are often grown for their showy flowers shaped like bells
Geographical Definition
Bellflower
geographical name
Bell·flow·er
ˈbel-ˌflau̇(-ə)r
city in southwestern California east of Los Angeles population 76,616
More from Merriam-Webster on bellflower
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bellflower
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