sweet william

or sweet William

noun

1. a pink, Dianthus barbatus, having clusters of small, variously colored flowers.

sweet william

noun

1. a widely cultivated Eurasian caryophyllaceous plant, Dianthus barbatus, with flat clusters of white, pink, red, or purple flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of sweet william¹

First recorded in 1555–65

Example Sentences

Beside it is the mossy burial-ground, where prim old ladies walk on Sunday afternoons, with sprigs of sweet-william.

From Project Gutenberg

She picked lavender and sweet-william and pinks, and bunched them up together.

From Project Gutenberg

The chill March air became sweet with the scent of heliotrope, and Sweet William, and pansies, and bridal wreath.

From Project Gutenberg

Before her she saw a flower lying—a crimson sweet-william—fresh and uninjured.

From Project Gutenberg

With this class belongs the Sweet-William (dianthus barbatus), which should be sown and treated in a like manner.

From Project Gutenberg