bu·gle¹ (byū'gəl)
n. Music
A brass wind instrument somewhat shorter than a trumpet and lacking keys or valves.

intr.v., -gled, -gling, -gles.

1. Music. To sound a bugle.
2. To give forth a deep, prolonged sound similar to the bay of a hound.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin būculus, steer, diminutive of bōs, ox.]

bugler bu'gler n.

bu·gle² (byū'gəl)
n.
A tubular glass or plastic bead used to trim clothing.

[Origin unknown.]

bu·gle³ (byū'gəl)
n.
Any of several creeping Old World herbs of the genus Ajuga in the mint family, having opposite leaves, square stems, and terminal spikes of purplish to white flowers. Also called bugleweed.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin būgula (perhaps influenced by būglōssa, bugloss), from Latin būgillō.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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