lobelia

noun

lo·​be·​lia lō-ˈbēl-yə How to pronounce lobelia (audio) -ˈbē-lē-ə How to pronounce lobelia (audio)
1
: any of a genus (Lobelia of the family Campanulaceae, the bellflower family) of widely cultivated plants having terminal clusters of showy lipped flowers
2
: the leaves and tops of Indian tobacco

Examples of lobelia 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.
Low-growing shrubs, tall lobelias, and bushy grasses lined our path, and Abdallah pointed to large, hooved footprints in the dirt, which belonged to Cape Buffalo. — Mary Robnett, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2025 Fifty varieties of plants are available for purchase, including four milkweed varieties, several grasses, native purple coneflower, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, meadow blazing star, New England aster, prairie smoke, wild columbine and wild lupine. — Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Matthias de Lobel †1616 Flemish botanist

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lobelia was in 1739

Rhymes for lobelia

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Browse Nearby Words

lobelet
lobelia
Lobeliaceae
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Cite this Entry

“Lobelia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lobelia. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

lobelia

noun
lo·​be·​lia lō-ˈbēl-yə How to pronounce lobelia (audio)
: any of a genus of widely distributed herbs (as the cardinal flower) often grown for their clusters of showy flowers

Medical Definition

lobelia

noun
lo·​be·​lia lō-ˈbēl-yə How to pronounce lobelia (audio) -ˈbē-lē-ə How to pronounce lobelia (audio)
1
capitalized : any of a genus (Lobelia of the family Lobeliaceae, the lobelia family) of widely distributed herbaceous plants (as Indian tobacco)
2
: the leaves and tops of Indian tobacco used especially formerly as an expectorant and antispasmodic
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