cornflower

American  

[kawrn-flou-er] / ˈkɔrnˌflaʊ ər /

noun

1. Also called bachelor's-button, bluebottle.  a European composite plant, Centaurea cyanus, growing in grainfields, having blue to white flower heads, often cultivated as an ornamental.

2. Also called cornflower blue.  a deep, vivid blue.

3. corn cockle.

4. strawflower.

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cornflower British  

/ ˈkɔːnˌflaʊə /

noun

1. Also called: bluebottle.  a Eurasian herbaceous plant, Centaurea cyanus, with blue, purple, pink, or white flowers, formerly a common weed in cornfields: family Asteraceae (composites) See also bachelor's-buttons

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Etymology

Origin of cornflower

First recorded in 1570–80; corn ¹ + flower

Example Sentences

Five minutes into the new Hulu documentary “Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna,” the film’s director, Rachel Mason, stands against the cornflower blue of the endless New Mexican sky.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2025

Of course, in the fashion world, an item of clothing can't just be blue, so Laws says he thinks cornflower and cobalt blue will make a particular appearance across shows.

From BBC • Sep. 11, 2024

In the resulting enigmatic dreamscapes, muted purples, cornflower blues and soft ochres bloom and spatter and fleck in surprising, delicate ways.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 24, 2024

A few years ago, Buchweitz tried to develop the cornflower blue as a colorant for the food industry, but it didn’t pan out.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 14, 2023

She lay under the faded bedding like a rag doll losing its stuffing, her hair a wild collection of snakes on the pillow, her cornflower blue eyes poisoned with streaks of yellow and red.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson