Indian paintbrush

noun

1
: any of a genus (Castilleja of the family Orobanchaceae) of chiefly American herbaceous plants that have brightly colored bracts

called also painted cup

2

Illustration of Indian paintbrush

Illustration of indian paintbrush

Examples of Indian paintbrush 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.
Hikers can enjoy the coastal sage scrub vegetation, including blooming plants like Indian paintbrush, California broom and black sage. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024 The federally endangered Bear Valley sandwort, Ash-gray Indian paintbrush, and southern mountain wild-buckwheat are no match for the cascading impacts of soil disturbances caused by burros on the move. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Indian paintbrush was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near Indian paintbrush

Cite this Entry

“Indian paintbrush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Indian%20paintbrush. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

Indian paintbrush

noun
1
: any of a large genus of mostly American herbs that have spikes of flowers with brightly colored bracts
2
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