Silverbells

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A deciduous North American tree or shrub that bears clusters of drooping white, bell-shaped flowers in spring
2. A small American tree of the genus Halesia whose hanging white blossoms resemble tiny bells
3. Any of several eastern North American trees or shrubs with clusters of pendant, bell-like white flowers in early spring

Etymology: Silverbells are the flowers of the Halesia tree, a native of the eastern United States, and the name is a plain English compound of "silver" and "bell". The blossoms hang in small white clusters from the branches, shaped like tiny bells, and their pale petals give the name its silvery tone. The word is simply the plural of "silverbell", which is itself built from the two everyday English words "silver" and "bell". Because the name describes the flower's appearance directly, it needs no borrowed or classical root to explain it.