The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Any of various Australian shrubs or trees of the genera Callistemon and Melaleuca, having densely flowered, cylindrical spikes with numerous, long, protruding stamens that suggest a brush used to clean bottles.
n. Any of various trees or shrubs of the myrtle family, especially of the genera Callistemon and Melaleuca, native to Australia and adjacent areas, having spikes of flowers with numerous conspicuous stamens.
n. A cylindrical brush on a thin shaft that is used to clean bottles.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. a cylindrical brush on a thin shaft that is used to clean bottles.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. a cylindrical brush on a thin shaft that is used to clean bottles
Word Usage
"I used them in the Nativity with old lace, bottlebrush trees, pearls, and vintage cardboard houses, together with topiaries made of dried hydrangeas and Spanish moss."