del·phin·i·um

(dĕl-fĭn′ē-əm)

A perennial plant of the genus Delphinium of the buttercup family, especially any of several tall cultivated varieties having palmate leaves and long racemes of showy, variously colored spurred flowers. Also called larkspur.

[New Latin Delphinium, genus name, from Greek delphinion, larkspur, probably diminutive of delphīs, delphīn-, dolphin (from the shape of the nectary).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

delphinium

(dɛlˈfɪnɪəm)

n, pl -iums or -ia (-ɪə)

(Plants) any ranunculaceous plant of the genus Delphinium: many varieties are cultivated as garden plants for their spikes of blue, pink, or white spurred flowers. See also larkspur

[C17: New Latin, from Greek delphinion larkspur, from delphis dolphin, referring to the shape of the nectary]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

del•phin•i•um

(dɛlˈfɪn i əm)

n., pl. -i•ums, -i•a (-i ə)

any of numerous plants of the genus Delphinium, of the buttercup family, esp. any of various tall species having usu. blue, pink, or white flowers. Compare larkspur.

[1655–65; < New Latin < Greek delphinion larkspur, derivative of delphis (s. delphīn-) dolphin; so called from the shape of the nectary]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

delphinium - any plant of the genus Delphinium having palmately divided leaves and showy spikes of variously colored spurred flowers; some contain extremely poisonous substances

flower - a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

genus Delphinium - large genus of chiefly perennial erect branching herbs of north temperate regions some poisonous

larkspur - any of numerous cultivated plants of the genus Delphinium

Translations

dauphinelle delphinium pied-d'alouette

delfinio

delphinium

[delˈfɪnɪəm] N (delphiniums or delphinia (pl)) [delˈfɪnɪə] → espuela f de caballero

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

delphinium

[dɛlˈfɪniəm] n (= flower) → delphinium m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

delphinium

n → Rittersporn m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

The giant poppies I had planted out in them in April have either died off or remained quite small, and so have the columbines; here and there a delphinium droops unwillingly, and that is all.

View in context

Iris and white lilies rose out of the grass in sheaves, and the green alcoves filled themselves with amazing armies of the blue and white flower lances of tall delphiniums or columbines or campanulas.

View in context

She gathered valuable feedback during her visits to local GP practices in North Shropshire to help develop Delphinium, a new not-for-profit virtual assistant service.

Volunteer awarded

Sow perennials Many hardy herbaceous perennials such as aquilegia, delphinium, geum, lupins, helenium and viscaria can be sown now for an early display of colour next year.

Jobs for the week; 44 LIFESTYLE Gardening with Adrienne Wild

Plant swathes of lupins, foxglove, delphinium and hollyhock close by in beds and borders, plus climbers such as honeysuckle and wisteria to cover fences.

ASK DAVID; OUR EXPERT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

| DELPHINIUM cuttings can be taken if you have sufficient growth - longer cuttings tend to flop over, so now's a good time.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

Snails are the other great enemy - they just love to munch on fresh delphinium foliage in spring and summer.

BORDER CONTROL; Delphiniums are divine, but demanding. Here's how to manage these difficult divas to create a fine frame

"Now, / About what to put in your poem-painting," John Ashbery suggested, in a neighborly fashion, in an old poem: "Flowers are always nice, particularly delphinium." And so he gave Elaine Scarry part of the subtitle, if not the seed, for her ravishing essay "Imagining Flowers: Perceptual Mimesis (Particularly Delphinium)." I found a photocopy of the essay underneath a window in an exhibition of Heike-Karin Foll's subtle, disarming works at the (aptly named) Elaine project space in Basel.

Heike-Karin Foll

Continue to deadhead plants such as Delphinium and Dahlias.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK ..

Their bouquets complemented the bride's, with smaller arrangements of blue hydrangeas, orange roses, and volken blue delphinium highlights.

Mills&Skinner

Elsewhere around the league on the final week of action, Delphinium trounced Yarrow 4-0 (3,131-2,938) and Calla Lily swept Daffodil 4-0 (3,028-2,671), both in group one; and Carnation beat Tritoma 3-1 (3,126-3,023) in group two.

Cockscomb capture FC bowling title

Tall, bushy, and vining plants (e.g., delphinium, peony, or clematis) benefit from support, so get plant cages, bamboo stakes, and trellises into the soil now.

Get ready to grow