noun

columbine

KO-luhm-byn

noun

A garden plant of the genus Aquilegia, known for its delicate, bell-shaped flowers with backward-pointing spurs.

"She planted columbine along the shady edge of the border."

"The columbine's spurred petals attract long-tongued pollinators like hawk moths."

A school shooting or mass shooting, especially one modeled on or compared to a notorious incident.

"The news report described fears of another columbine-style attack."

How to Use Columbine

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsually the flower — a pretty garden perennial — though the word has also taken on a grim secondary meaning tied to school violence, from the 1999 Columbine High School attack.

Common mistake

Context matters enormously here: without it, readers won't know if you mean the flower or the tragedy. Capitalize "Columbine" when referring to the school/place.

Common pairings

columbine flowers wild columbine columbine seeds

Word Forms

more columbine comparative, columbines plural, Columbines plural, most columbine superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She planted _____ along the shady edge of the border.

Etymology

From Latin columbina herba, "dove-like plant" — the flower's shape was thought to resemble a cluster of doves.

Rhymes for columbine

nine mine wine line sine dine fine vine pine tine Eine thine

See all rhymes for columbine →