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bellwort

bellwort

9.9
A small woodland plant with slender stems and yellow bell-shaped flowers
  • noun
  • /ˈbɛlˌwɔrt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : campanilla
  • The bellwort blooms in the spring.
  • sessile bellwort

Examples

  • The woodland trail was lined with delicate bellwort blooming in the shade.

  • She planted bellwort in her garden to attract native pollinators.

  • Hikers admired the clusters of bellwort dangling gently from their slender stems.

  • I found a bellwort in the woods yesterday.

  • In spring, the garden was filled with the delicate yellow flowers of bellwort swaying gently in the breeze.

  • Native to North America, bellwort is admired for its unique drooping flowers that resemble small bells.

  • While hiking, I spotted a cluster of bellwort plants blooming along the forest trail, their bright colors lighting up the shaded area.

Synonyms

wild oats
vsbellwort
  • US
1 9.9

A small plant with yellow hanging bell-shaped flowers that grows in woods

focuses on slender stems rather than life cycle duration
merry bells
vsbellwort
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wild plant with yellow bell-shaped flowers that hang down

refers to one species rather than many

Surface Forms

bellwort singular
bellworts plural

Morphology

bellwort = bell + wort (semi-transparent) = bell + wort

The compound literally describes a plant with bell-shaped flowers, but the element 'wort' (meaning 'plant') is archaic and may be unfamiliar to average learners.

Etymology

Bellwort comes from two simple parts: bell and wort. A wort is an old word for 'plant' or 'herb', like in St. John's-wort, so bellwort literally means a 'bell' plant and this helps you remember it has hanging, bell-shaped flowers.