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Glite Dictionary
Centaurea cyanus

Centaurea cyanus

9.7
A plant with bright blue, pink, purple, or white flowers often grown in gardens and known as cornflower
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Centaurea cyanus
  • Gardeners often plant Centaurea cyanus for its attractive flowers that attract bees and butterflies.

Examples

  • The vibrant blue Centaurea cyanus bloomed all over the wildflower meadow last summer.

  • A bouquet of Centaurea cyanus brightened the dining table with vivid shades of blue.

  • The Centaurea cyanus blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Look at the beautiful Centaurea cyanus flowers!

  • A bouquet of Centaurea cyanus brightened the dining table with vivid shades of blue.

  • Gardeners often plant Centaurea cyanus for its attractive flowers that attract bees and butterflies.

  • The vibrant blue Centaurea cyanus bloomed all over the wildflower meadow last summer.

Synonyms

cornflower
vsCentaurea cyanus
4 3.4

A small plant with bright blue flowers often grown in gardens

is the specific annual Eurasian species with bright colored flowers
bluebottle
vsCentaurea cyanus
  • UK
6.6

A garden plant with bright blue, purple, pink, or white flowers

is the same species but commonly called by a familiar garden name
bachelor's button
vsCentaurea cyanus
7.2

A plant from Europe and Asia that grows each year with bright blue, purple, pink, or white flowers

is the same species but used as a common ornamental name

Surface Forms

Centaurea cyanus singular
Centaurea cyanuses plural

Morphology

Centaurea + Cyanus

This is a Linnaean binomial (genus + species) composed of taxonomic names; if a learner knows 'Centaurea' and 'Cyanus' as plant genera, they can infer this refers to a particular plant species. The construction follows a cross-linguistically familiar scientific naming pattern, so the basic meaning 'a kind of plant (a Centaurea species)' is derivable from the parts even if the common name 'cornflower' is not known.

Etymology

Centaurea cyanus is a Latin name with a simple picture: Centaurea comes from a myth about a centaur who, one story says, used the plant to 'heal' wounds, and cyanus means 'blue', so the name fits the bright 'blue' flower we call the 'cornflower'.