1
: any of a large genus (Anemone) of perennial herbs of the buttercup family having lobed or divided leaves and showy flowers without petals but with conspicuous sepals

called also windflower

2

Examples of anemone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
New species of corals, crabs, shrimps, sea urchins and anemones galore. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 Scientists still don't know what happened to the top of the anemone. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 The golden orb is what happens when an anemone glues itself into place. Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026 These flowers include lupine, violets, wild garlic, anemones and more. Seth Jacobson, The Providence Journal, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anemone

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek anemōnē

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anemone was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anemone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anemone. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: any of a large genus of herbs related to the buttercups that have showy flowers
2

Medical Definition

1
capitalized : a genus of herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) widely distributed in temperate and subarctic regions that have lobed or divided leaves and showy flowers and that include some used medicinally especially formerly
2
: a plant or flower of the genus Anemone

More from Merriam-Webster on anemone

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!