lupine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any plant of the genus Lupinus; bearing erect spikes of usually purplish-blue flowers
    lupin.
  2. adjective of or relating to or characteristic of wolves

WordNet

Lu"pine noun
Etymology
L. lupinus, lupinum, apparently fr. lupinus belonging to a wolf, fr. lupus a wolf; perh. so called because it was supposed to exhaust the soil: cf. F. lupin. Cf. Wolf.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A leguminous plant of the genus Lupinus, especially L. albus, the seeds of which have been used for food from ancient times. The common species of the Eastern United States is L. perennis. There are many species in California.
Lu"pine adjective
Etymology
See Lupine, n.
Definitions
  1. Wolfish; ravenous. Gauden.

Webster 1913