forget-me-not

noun

for·​get-me-not fər-ˈget-mē-ˌnät How to pronounce forget-me-not (audio)
fȯr-
: any of a genus (Myosotis) of small herbs of the borage family having usually bright blue or white flowers usually arranged in a curving spike

Illustration of forget-me-not

Illustration of forget-me-not

Examples of forget-me-not 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.
The boot is named for the forget-me-not flower, which is known for attracting butterflies. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026 Also try forget-me-nots which bloom profusely in pale blue in spring; deadhead them to keep them from reseeding too much, but new plants are easy to pull up. — Peg Aloi, The Spruce, 8 May 2026 Bamboo shoulders up next to roses, Anatolian tulips next to woodland forget-me-nots. — Amy Waldman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026 His ghost visits Claire in the future and then heads over to the stones, where his presence magically causes the forget-me-nots to grow. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 The idea is that the flowering plants—dandelions, forget-me-nots, and clover—start to bloom during May, and in doing so attract and feed pollinators. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forget-me-not was in 1532

Browse Nearby Words

forgetive
forget-me-not
forget oneself
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forget-me-not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forget-me-not. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

forget-me-not

noun
for·​get-me-not
fər-ˈget-mē-ˌnät, 
fȯr-
: any of a genus of small herbs with bright blue or white flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on forget-me-not

Nglish: Translation of forget-me-not for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about forget-me-not

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