a small plant with white, red, blue or purple flowers that are like cups in shape and have dark centres see also sea anemone银莲花,风花(开杯形有黑心的白、红、蓝、紫花) Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin, said to be from Greek anemōnē ‘windflower’, literally ‘daughter of the wind’, from anemos ‘wind’, thought to be called this because the flowers open only when the wind blows.