bugle

1 of 4

noun (1)

bu·​gle ˈbyü-gəl 

: any of a genus (Ajuga) of plants of the mint family

especially : a European annual (A. reptans) that has spikes of blue flowers and is naturalized in the U.S.

bugle

2 of 4

noun (2)

: a valveless brass instrument that resembles a trumpet and is used especially for military calls

Illustration of bugle

bugle

3 of 4

verb

bugled; bugling ˈbyü-g(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to sound a bugle

2

: to utter the characteristic rutting call of the bull elk

bugle

4 of 4

noun (3)

: a small cylindrical bead of glass or plastic used for trimming especially on women's clothing

Did you know?

What is the origin of bugle?

In early English, the word bugle meant “wild ox.” The horns of oxen were made into signaling devices for soldiers and hunters, first called bugle horns. Later this was shortened to bugle.

Examples of bugle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The gown took 7,600 hours of handwork and was embroidered with more than 1.4 million beads including 222,000 pieces of black rectangle sequins, more than a million pieces of black bugle beads and 103,500 pieces of black cut beads. —Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2025

By the time the bugle sounds at the 151st Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3, 2025, more than 3,000 pounds of shrimp, 3,120 pounds of Brussels sprouts, 50,000 liters of bourbon, and 28,730 bunches of mint will have passed through the kitchens of Churchill Downs. —Nasha Smith, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Verb

Elk are bugling in Rocky Mountain National Park, juicy apples are waiting to be picked at Colorado orchards and golden yellow aspen leaves are dancing in the high country — sure signs that autumn has officially arrived. —Sarah Kuta, The Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2024

In autumn, crowds thin and elk herds swell and bugle amongst the sunset-hues of the aspen and cottonwood trees. —Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bugle, bugill, borrowed from Anglo-French bugle, borrowed from Medieval Latin bugula, of uncertain origin; perhaps from the same source as Late Latin bugillōn-, bugillō, if it designates the same plant

Noun (2)

Middle English, buffalo, instrument made of buffalo horn, bugle, from Anglo-French, from Latin buculus, diminutive of bos head of cattle — more at cow

Noun (3)

perhaps from bugle entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1573, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bugle

• centrifugal
• frugal
• fugal
• google
• kugel

Kids Definition

bugle

noun

bu·​gle

ˈbyü-gəl

: a brass musical instrument like the trumpet but without valves

bugle verb

bugler

-glər

noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bugle "wild ox," from early French bugle (same meaning), from Latin buculus "young steer"

Word Origin

In early English the word bugle meant "wild ox." The horns of oxen were made into signaling devices for soldiers and hunters, first called bugle horns. Later this was shortened to bugle.