noun
anemone
uh-NEH-muh-nee
Anemone (noun) means a flowering plant of the buttercup family, such as the windflower, prized for its bright, delicate blooms. Example: “She planted a border of red and purple anemones along the path.”
noun
1
A flowering plant of the buttercup family, such as the windflower, prized for its bright, delicate blooms.
"She planted a border of red and purple anemones along the path."
"Wood anemones carpet the forest floor in early spring."
2
A sea anemone — a soft-bodied marine animal with a ring of stinging tentacles, often mistaken for a plant.
"The clownfish darted safely between the tentacles of the anemone."
"At low tide, anemones cling to the rocks like colorful blobs of jelly."
How to use anemone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA word for two very different things that share a name: a delicate flower and a tentacled sea creature.
Common mistake
Context tells you which anemone is meant — gardening topics mean the flower, ocean topics mean the sea animal.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sea anemone
wood anemone
anemone tentacles
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Word forms
- Plural
- anemones
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She planted a border of red and purple _____ along the path.
Etymology
From Greek anemone, built from anemos ("wind") — hence the old nickname "windflower."
Synonyms
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windflower
sea anemone
Related words
Rhymes for anemone
See all rhymes for anemone →Frequently asked questions
What does “anemone” mean?
The word “anemone” means a flowering plant of the buttercup family, such as the windflower, prized for its bright, delicate blooms. In plain terms, a word for two very different things that share a name: a delicate flower and a tentacled sea creature.
How do you pronounce “anemone”?
“Anemone” is pronounced uh-NEH-muh-nee (/əˈnɛməni/ in IPA).
How do you use “anemone” in a sentence?
Here is “anemone” used in a sentence: “She planted a border of red and purple anemones along the path.”
What part of speech is “anemone”?
“Anemone” is a noun.
Where does the word “anemone” come from?
The word “anemone” comes from Greek. From Greek anemone, built from anemos ("wind") — hence the old nickname "windflower.".
How many meanings does “anemone” have?
“Anemone” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a flowering plant of the buttercup family, such as the windflower, prized for its bright, delicate blooms.
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