zephyr flower, n.

zephyr-flower
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zephyr-flower_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zephyr flowernoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zephyr flower mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun zephyr flower. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

### Where does the noun zephyr flower come from?

Earliest known use

1820s

The earliest known use of the noun zephyr flower is in the 1820s.

OED's earliest evidence for zephyr flower is from around 1829, in a dictionary by E. W. Wirt.

### Nearby entries

1. zeolitize, v. 1881–
2. zeolitized, adj. 1888–
3. Zephiran, n. 1935–
4. Zéphirine Drouhin, n. 1901–
5. zephyr, n. Old English–
6. zephyr, v. 1829–
7. zephyranth, n. 1845–
8. zephyranthes, n. 1821–
9. zephyrean, adj. 1793–
10. zephyret, n. 1777–1881
11. zephyr flower, n.?1829–
12. zephyr-gale, n. 1596–1901
13. zephyrian, adj. 1661–
14. zephyrine, adj. & n. 1819–
15. zephyring, adj. 1821–
16. zephyrless, adj. a1821–
17. zephyr-like, adv. & adj. 1765–
18. zephyr lily, n.?1877–
19. zephyrous, adj. a1750–
20. zephyry, adj. 1791–
21. Zepp, n. 1914–

## Meaning & use

1. ?1829–
   a. An anemone, esp. Pulsatilla vernalis; b. [after scientific Latin Zephyranthes, genus name (see zephyranthes n.)] a zephyr lily (also with distinguishing word).
   1. ?1829

      > Zephyr's Flower. Anemone, vernalis.

      E. W. Wirt, Flora's Dictionary at Anemone
   2. 1854

      > Zephyranthes carinata. Keeled-leaved Zephyr-flower.

      Ornamental Flower Garden & Shrubbery vol. IV. facing Pl. 233
   3. 1884

      > Zephyr-flower, the genus Zephyranthes.

      W. Miller, Dictionary of English Names of Plants
   4. 1906

      > Anemone (Zephyr Flower) Sickness. Expectation.

      R. Ishikawa, Garland Flower-poems App. p. vii.
   5. 1960

      > For bright touches along low borders try the dainty zephyr flower or fairy lily (zephyranthes), whose gay blooms resemble a miniature amaryllis.

      Wichita Falls (Texas) Times 27 March c11/2
   6. 2004

      > These are the flower's first links with the emotions of separation and ephemeral love..and with its common name of zephyr flower.

      S. Connolly & J. Baldwin, Secret Lang. Flowers 108
   plants
   1. zephyr flower?1829–
      a. An anemone, esp. Pulsatilla vernalis; b. a zephyr lily (also with distinguishing word).
   2. zephyranth 1845–
      Any of various plants of the genus Zephyranthes; a zephyr lily. Cf. zephyranthes, n.
   3. stagger-grass 1891–
      ‘The atamasco-lily, Zephyranthes Atamasco: so called as supposed to cause staggers in horses’ (Cent. Dict. 1891).
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Forms

### Variant forms

Also Zephyr's flower.

Originally published as part of the entry for zephyr, n.

zephyr, n. was revised in June 2018.