canterbury bell: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowGardening/Horticultural
Quick answer
What does “canterbury bell” mean?
A flowering plant of the genus Campanula, with bell-shaped blue, pink, or white flowers.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A flowering plant of the genus Campanula, with bell-shaped blue, pink, or white flowers.
Specifically, the species Campanula medium, a biennial garden plant prized for its tall spikes of large, cup-and-saucer shaped flowers. The name is also used for other related campanula species and hybrids.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The name is standard in both varieties for the same plant.
Connotations
Evokes traditional cottage gardens and classic English horticulture in both regions.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both, used almost exclusively within gardening contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “canterbury bell” in a Sentence
[Verb] Canterbury bells (e.g., plant, grow, deadhead)Canterbury bells [verb] (e.g., bloom, wilt, self-seed)the [Adjective] Canterbury bell (e.g., biennial, prolific, double-flowered)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “canterbury bell” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Canterbury bell display at the Chelsea Flower Show was stunning.
American English
- She preferred a Canterbury bell variety with double flowers.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare; only in the context of horticultural trade or garden centre inventory.
Academic
Used in botanical texts, horticulture papers, or historical gardening studies.
Everyday
Rare; used only by gardening enthusiasts when discussing specific plants.
Technical
Standard term in horticulture and botany for the specific species.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “canterbury bell”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “canterbury bell”
- Incorrect capitalisation (e.g., 'canterbury Bell').
- Using it as a common noun for any bell-shaped flower.
- Confusing it with other campanula species without specification.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are typically biennial, meaning they complete their life cycle over two years: forming leaves in the first year and flowering in the second.
The name derives from the flower's resemblance to the small hand bells used by pilgrims travelling to Canterbury Cathedral in medieval England.
Yes, but due to their height (often 60-90cm), they are better suited to large, deep containers and may require staking.
'Bellflower' is a common name for the entire Campanula genus. 'Canterbury bell' specifically refers to Campanula medium and its cultivars, which are known for their particularly large, showy flowers on tall spikes.
A flowering plant of the genus Campanula, with bell-shaped blue, pink, or white flowers.
Canterbury bell is usually gardening/horticultural in register.
Canterbury bell: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkæntəb(ə)ri ˈbɛl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkæntərˌbɛri ˈbɛl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the bells ringing in Canterbury Cathedral – the flower's shape resembles those bells.
Conceptual Metaphor
FLOWERS ARE BELLS (based on shape similarity).
Practice
Quiz
What is a defining characteristic of the Canterbury bell (Campanula medium)?