bugle

1
[ byoo-guhl ]
See synonyms for bugle on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a brass wind instrument resembling a cornet and sometimes having keys or valves, used typically for sounding military signals.

verb (used without object),bu·gled, bu·gling.
  1. to sound a bugle.

  2. (of bull elks) to utter a rutting call.

verb (used with object),bu·gled, bu·gling.
  1. to call by or with a bugle: to bugle reveille.

Origin of bugle

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bugle, bugel, bewgal “wild ox, buffalo, water buffalo, drinking horn, (instrument) horn, bugle,” from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin būculus “young bull, bullock, young ox,” equivalent to bū- variant stem of bōs “cow, ox, bull” + -culus diminutive noun suffix; see origin at -cle1, cow1

Other words from bugle

  • bugler, noun

Other definitions for bugle (2 of 3)

bugle2
[ byoo-guhl ]

noun

Origin of bugle

2
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English bugle, bugil, buygel, bewgle, from Old French, from Late Latin būgillo the name of the plant; further origin uncertain

Other definitions for bugle (3 of 3)

bugle3
[ byoo-guhl ]

noun
  1. Also called bugle bead . a tubular glass bead used for ornamenting dresses.

adjective
  1. Also bu·gled . ornamented with bugles.

Origin of bugle

3
First recorded in 1570–80; of obscure origin; perhaps an extended sense of bugle1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for bugle (1 of 3)

bugle1

/ (ˈbjuːɡəl) /


noun
  1. music a brass instrument similar to the cornet but usually without valves: used for military fanfares, signal calls, etc

verb
  1. (intr) to play or sound (on) a bugle

Origin of bugle

1
C14: short for bugle horn ox horn (musical instrument), from Old French bugle, from Latin būculus young bullock, from bōs ox

Derived forms of bugle

  • bugler, noun

British Dictionary definitions for bugle (2 of 3)

bugle2

/ (ˈbjuːɡəl) /


noun
  1. any of several Eurasian plants of the genus Ajuga, esp A. reptans, having small blue or white flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates): Also called: bugleweed See also ground pine

Origin of bugle

2
C13: from Late Latin bugula, of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for bugle (3 of 3)

bugle3

/ (ˈbjuːɡəl) /


noun
  1. a tubular glass or plastic bead sewn onto clothes for decoration

Origin of bugle

3
C16: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012