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''columbine'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260125204041-00-⌔

columbine - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Noun

columbine (plural columbines)

  • Any plant of the genus Aquilegia, having distinctive bell -shaped flowers with spurs on each petal.

Adjective

columbine (comparative more columbine, superlative most columbine)

  • (archaic) Pertaining to a dove or pigeon.
    • ✤ Synonym: columbid (in attributive use)
    • ✤ Near-synonyms: columboid, peristeronic
    • ✤ It is not possible to join serpentine wisdom with the columbine innocency, except men know exactly all the conditions of the serpent.1

Etymology 1

From the Latin colombina herba (“dove-like plant”), the flower being likened to five clustered pigeons.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈkɒləmˌbaɪn/
    • Audio (Southern England): 🔊
  • (General American) IPA: /ˈkɑləmˌbaɪn/
  • Hyphenation: col‧um‧bine

Etymology 2

From Middle English columbyne, from Old French columbin (French colombin), from Latin columbinus, from columba (“dove, pigeon”).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /kəˈlʌm.baɪn/, /ˈkɒləmˌbaɪn/
  • (General American) IPA: /kəˈlʌm.baɪn/, /ˈkɑləmˌbaɪn/
  • Hyphenation: co‧lum‧bine

Printed 2026-06-28.

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Footnotes

  1. 1605, Francis Bacon, “”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC: ↩

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