columbine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a plant of the genus Aquilegia having irregular showy spurred flowers; north temperate regions especially mountains
    aquilege; aquilegia.

WordNet

Col"um*bine adjective
Etymology
L. columbinus, fr. columba dove.
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to a dove; dovelike; dove-colored. "Columbine innocency." Bacon.
Col"um*bine noun
Etymology
LL. columbina, L. columbinus dovelike, fr. columba dove: cf. F. colombine. Perh. so called from the beaklike spurs of its flowers.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A plant of several species of the genus Aquilegia; as, A. vulgaris, or the common garden columbine; A. Canadensis, the wild red columbine of North America.
  2. The mistress or sweetheart of Harlequin in pantomimes. Brewer.

Webster 1913