cornflower
UK[ˈkɔːnflaʊə(r)]US[ˈkɔːrnflaʊər]
n
A wild plant with bright blue flowers that often grows in fields of grain.
n
A bright medium blue color.
Morpheme Breakdown
corn
flower
corn
grain
flower
blossom
Etymology
The word 'cornflower' is a transparent English compound, directly combining 'corn' and 'flower'. 'Corn' derives from a common Germanic root meaning a small particle or seed, which evolved in English to denote the most important cereal crop of a region (wheat in England, maize in America). 'Flower' traces back to the Latin 'flōs', related to the verb 'flōrēre' (to bloom). The name was given because this plant, Centaurea cyanus, was historically a common weed found growing among cultivated grain ('corn') fields. Its vivid blue blossoms made it a distinctive sight amidst the golden stalks, leading to its straightforward descriptive name.
Analysis
Structure: corn (grain) + flower (blossom)
corn: From Old English 'corn', meaning "grain, seed". In this compound, it refers specifically to cereal crops like wheat or barley.
flower: From Old French 'flour', from Latin 'flōrem' (nominative flōs), meaning "blossom, flower".
Examples
The bouquet was a simple mix of daisies and cornflowers.
She painted the sky a beautiful shade of cornflower blue.
The cornflower is often used as a symbol of hope and remembrance.