Cowslyppe

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic name for the cowslip, a small plant with nodding clusters of fragrant yellow flowers that grows in meadows in spring
2. A old English term for the primrose-like wildflower Primula veris, which bears drooping yellow blossoms in grassland during the spring months
3. The wildflower known in earlier English as the cowslip, with clusters of sweet-scented yellow bells found across pastures and grassy banks

Etymology: Cowslyppe is an older spelling of "cowslip," the pale yellow spring flower of English meadows. Its roots go back to Old English "cūslyppe," which joins "cū" (cow) with "slyppe," a word for slime or the soft matter of animal droppings. The likeliest reason for the name is that the flower grows thick in pastures where cattle graze and leave their dung, so the plant was named for that setting rather than for anything about the flower itself. The spelling shifted over centuries, and the "-slip" ending became the standard form, while the "-slyppe" spelling survived in some Middle English and early modern texts. The flower has also been known by other names, including "paigle" and "key-flower," which is why older herbal writers sometimes list several names for the same plant.