twinflower

[ twin-flou-er ]

noun

1. either of two slender, creeping, evergreen, caprifoliaceous plants, Linnaea borealis, of Europe, or L. americana, of North America, having pink or purplish nodding flowers borne in pairs on threadlike stalks.

twinflower

/ ˈtwɪnˌflaʊə /

noun

1. an evergreen caprifoliaceous trailing shrub, Linnaea borealis , of circumpolar distribution, having round leaves, white or pink fragrant bell-shaped flowers arranged in pairs, and yellow fruits

Word History and Origins

Origin of twinflower¹

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20; twin ¹ + flower

Example Sentences

We sat by the water, swatting at mosquitoes, as Johnson pointed out the variety of flowers at our feet: twinflowers, pink moccasins, yellow buttercups.

From The New Yorker

Today, bouquets of flowers—twinflower, fireweed, lupines, and pearly everlasting—carpet the ground.

From Science Magazine

The odd vanilla leaf, twinflower and bracken also pop up.

From New York Times

He studied for his PhD at the University of Aberdeen where he conducted research on rare plants, including twinflower.

From BBC