bluebottle
A cornflower, a plant that grows in grain fields, Centaurea cyanusA cornflower, a plant that grows in grain fields, Centaurea cyanus.
» Eccles and Bluebottle were the funniest characters on The Goon Show radio program.
Meaning
7 sensesA cornflower, a plant that grows in grain fields, Centaurea cyanus.
Any of various blowflies of the genus Calliphora that have an iridescent metallic-blue body and make a loud buzzing noise when flying.
Schmeißfliege
тру́пная му́хаtrúpnaja múxa
blowfly with iridescent blue body; makes a loud buzzing noise in flight
A blue ant, Diamma bicolor, a parasitic wasp native to Australia.
Any of various large papilionid butterflies of the genus Graphium, also called triangles, etc.
(Australia, Ireland, UK, derogatory, slang)A police officer.
A marine jellyfish of the genus Physalia, which includes Physalia physalis, the Portuguese man-of-war, and Physalia utriculus, the Pacific man-of-war; a man-of-war.
(derogatory, obsolete)A bluestocking.
Examples
1 sentencesEccles and Bluebottle were the funniest characters on The Goon Show radio program.
Translations
4 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English blewbothel, from blew (“blue”) + bothel (“flower in the Asteraceae famFrom Middle English blewbothel, from blew (“blue”) + bothel (“flower in the Asteraceae family”). In sense 2, a shortening of bluebottle fly. The fly was so named because it resembles the bluebottle flower in colour. The other transferred senses likewise have reference to the colour of the respective referents.
From blue + bottle, in reference to the creature's bottle-like bladder.
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Forms
plural: bluebottlesSynonyms
4 synonyms- blowfly with iridescent blue body; makes a loud buzzing noise in flight:Calliphora vicina
- an annual Eurasian plant cultivated in North America having showy heads of blue or purple or pink or white flowers:cornflowerbachelor's buttonCentaurea cyanus