noun

• 1A woodland Eurasian primula with yellow flowers that hang down one side of the stem.

  Primula elatior, family Primulaceae

  ‘I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet grows…’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The people of Bardfield collected arms full of oxlips with which to decorate their church at Easter.’

  1. 1.1A natural hybrid between a primrose and a cowslip.
     ‘The Cowslip Count took place in the spring of 2000 and we received data on over 2,000 places around the UK where cowslips, primroses and false oxlips are growing.’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Cowslips and primroses can hybridise, resulting in ‘false oxlips’.’