pasqueflower
[
pask
-flou-er]
/ˈpæskˌflaʊ ər/
noun
1.
an Old World plant,
Anemone pulsatilla,
of the buttercup family, having purple, crocuslike flowers blooming about Easter.
2.
a related plant,
A. patens,
having similar flowers: the state flower of South Dakota.
Origin
Pasque
(variant spelling of
Pasch
) +
flower
(so named by the herbalist Gerarde in 1597); replacing
passeflower
<
Middle French
passefleur;
see
pass
British Dictionary definitions for
pasqueflower
pasqueflower
/
ˈpɑːskˌflaʊə;
ˈpæsk-
/
noun
1.
a purple-flowered herbaceous ranunculaceous plant,
Anemone pulsatilla
(or
Pulsatilla vulgaris
), of N and Central Europe and W Asia
2.
any of several related North American plants, such as
A. patens
Symbol
paschal flower,
pulsatilla
Word Origin
C16: from French
passefleur,
from
passer
to excel +
fleur
flower; changed to
pasqueflower
Easter flower, because it blooms at Easter