EVENING PRIMROSE • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Evening primrose

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/ˈivnɪŋ prˈɪmrˌoʊz/ Listen

noun

Evening n.

The latter part and close of the day, and the beginning of darkness or night; properly, the decline of the day, or of the sun. "In the ascending scale Of heaven, the stars that usher evening rose." Note: Sometimes, especially in the Southern parts of the United States, the afternoon is called evening.

The latter portion, as of life; the declining period, as of strength or glory. Note: Sometimes used adjectively; as, evening gun. "Evening Prayer."

Evening flower (Bot.), a genus of iridaceous plants (Hesperantha) from the Cape of Good Hope, with sword-shaped leaves, and sweet-scented flowers which expand in the evening.

Evening grosbeak (Zoöl.), an American singing bird (Coccothraustes vespertina) having a very large bill. Its color is olivaceous, with the crown, wings, and tail black, and the under tail coverts yellow. So called because it sings in the evening.

Evening primrose. See under Primrose.

The evening star, the bright star of early evening in the western sky, soon passing below the horizon; specifically, the planet Venus; called also Vesper and Hesperus. During portions of the year, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are also evening stars. See Morning Star.

Primrose n. (Bot.)

(a)

An early flowering plant of the genus Primula (Primula vulgaris) closely allied to the cowslip. There are several varieties, as the white-, the red-, the yellow-flowered, etc. Formerly called also primerole, primerolles.

(b)

Any plant of the genus Primula.

Evening primrose, an erect biennial herb (Enothera biennis), with yellow vespertine flowers, common in the United States. The name is sometimes extended to other species of the same genus.

Primrose peerless, the two-flowered Narcissus (Narcissus biflorus). (Obs.)

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Etymology of 'Evening primrose'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Evening primrose" Quotes from Famous Books

... found along the Delaware River, growing luxuriantly, with tall, waving stems two to four feet high. The clover-like flowers, in long, loose racemes, terminating the branches, were so fragrant that, like the yellow evening primrose, the scent was noticeable long before one perceived the flowers. And, strange to tell, sweet clover was never known to grow in this locality until the seed was washed up on the bank of the river some ten or twelve years previous to the date of my story, when ...

— Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled during Her Visit - among the "Pennsylvania Germans" • Edith M. Thomas

... evening primrose,—a rank, tall weed that blooms with the mullein in late summer. Its small, yellow, slightly fragrant blossoms open only at night, but remain open during the next day. By cowslip, our poets and writers generally mean the yellow marsh marigold, which ...

— The Writings of John Burroughs • John Burroughs

... all, a flower which seems to be at home even in a city garden, is the evening primrose, an American plant, which does not belong to the family of the true primroses. But the flowers have a primrose tint, and they are slightly fragrant, opening usually about six or seven in the evening, though an occasional bud may expand during the day. The flower ...

— Chatterbox, 1906 • Various

... shadows in a deep wood, was coiled in a twisted heap to fit the crown of her mannish sombrero. It came down lightly over the tips of her ears in pretty disorder, due to the excitement of the morning, and she was fair as a camelia blossom and fresh as an evening primrose of her native ...

— Trail's End • George W. Ogden

... the evening primrose,—a rank, tall weed that blooms with the mullein in late summer. Its small, yellow, slightly fragrant blossoms open only at night, but remain open during the next day. By cowslip, our poets and writers generally mean the yellow marsh marigold, which belongs to a different family of plants, ...

— The Writings of John Burroughs • John Burroughs