Wars of the Roses

proper noun

A civil war that lasted from 1455 to 1487, fought between the English houses of Lancaster and York and allies in France, Burgundy and Scotland.

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Meanings

proper nounthe Wars of the Roses pl (plural only)

alternative War of the Roses

  1. historicalpluralplural onlyA civil war that lasted from 1455 to 1487, fought between the English houses of Lancaster and York and allies in France, Burgundy and Scotland.

    But his grandson Francis, a Yorkist friend of Richard III, backed the wrong side in the Wars of the Roses and was declared a traitor by Henry VII, who confiscated his estates.

    1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 286

Origin

After the symbols of the two sides: the Red Rose of Lancaster and the White Rose of York

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 玫瑰戰爭 /玫瑰战争, 薔薇戰爭 /蔷薇战争
  • 玫瑰戰爭 /玫瑰战争 (Méiguī Zhànzhēng)civil war
  • 薔薇戰爭 /蔷薇战争 (Qiángwéi Zhànzhēng)civil war
Finnish ruusujen sota
  • ruusujen sotacivil war
Japanese 薔薇戦争
  • 薔薇戦争 (Barasensō)civil war
Cite this entry
APA

Wars of the Roses. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wars%20of%20the%20Roses

MLA

“Wars of the Roses.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wars%20of%20the%20Roses. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Wars of the Roses,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wars%20of%20the%20Roses.

Source: Wars of the Roses on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.