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gayfeather

gayfeather

9.9
A tall plant with spikes of small purple or white flowers
  • noun
  • /ˈɡeɪˌfɛðər/
  • US
translation icon : pluma gay
  • The gayfeather blooms beautifully in late summer.
  • gayfeather (Liatris spicata)

Examples

  • Gardeners often plant gayfeather to attract butterflies to their yards.

  • The gayfeather brightened the prairie with its spikes of purple blooms each summer.

  • Among the wildflowers, the gayfeather stood out for its vibrant color and unique texture.

  • I saw a field of gayfeathers near the lake.

  • The garden was filled with colorful flowers, including the beautiful gayfeather, which added a fluffy touch with its vibrant purple spikes.

  • As summer approached, the gayfeather bloomed majestically, drawing the attention of bees and butterflies with its bright and fluffy flowers.

  • I planted a row of gayfeather in my backyard, and their tall spikes added height and texture to my flower garden.

Synonyms

snakeroot
vsgayfeather
  • US
1 9.9

A tall wild plant with purple flower spikes that grows in prairies

highlights fluffy spike clusters rather than discoid or rounded heads
gay-feather
vsgayfeather
  • US
9.9

A plant with tall spikes of small purple flowers that attract butterflies

is the same meaning but written without a hyphen
Liatris
vsgayfeather
  • Specialized
9.8

A tall plant from North America that has long spikes of purple or white flowers

refers to the common plant form rather than the technical genus
blazing star
vsgayfeather
  • US
6.7

A plant with tall stems and bright purple flowers

describes the plant by its tall spikes of small fluffy flowers
button snakeroot
vsgayfeather
  • Specialized
9.9

A North American wildflower with small round flower heads on tall spikes

focuses on tall spikes of small, usually fluffy flower heads

Compounds

dotted gayfeather
  • Specialized
9.9

A North American wildflower with many stems and spikes of lavender-pink flowers that attract butterflies and bees

Surface Forms

gayfeather singular
gayfeathers plural

Morphology

gayfeather = gay + feather (transparent) = gay + feather

The name is a straightforward compound whose meaning ('showy' + 'feathery') directly describes the plant's bright, plume-like flower spikes.

Etymology

The word gayfeather comes from the English words gay ('bright' or 'cheerful') and feather ('feather'). The plant's tall, fluffy flower spikes look like bright feathers in the grass, so the name fits this purple-flowering North American plant.