Orchidaceous

Orchidaceous

ˌôrkəˈdāSHəs

Adjective

  • Relating to or denoting plants of the orchid family (Orchidaceae).
  • Characterized by ostentatiousness; showy.

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Example Sentences

“The lead singer’s colorful outfit was shiny and orchidaceous under the spotlight.”

“My decorating tastes can be a bit orchidaceous, but I love finding outrageous vintage pieces.”

“My grandmother had several prized orchid plants, and she imparted her orchidaceous hobby to me.”

Word Origin

Latin, mid-19th century

Why this word?

Naming plants with Latin names began in the mid-18th century with the binomial (two name) system invented by Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus. Orchids were originally given the family name “Orchideae,” and the adjective “orchideous” applied to the plants, but that was a Latin error. In the mid-19th century, the mistake was corrected, and plants in the orchid family were renamed “Orchidaceae,” and the adjective became “orchidaceous.” Almost as long as the adjective has been used to refer to the plants, “orchidaceous” also has been used to describe anything of a particularly showy or extravagant nature. In 1962, Vladimir Nabokov wrote in “Pale Fire”: “Saw that blue hair, those freckled hands, that rapt Orchidaceous air — and knew that I was trapped.”

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ˈsīnəˌSHo͝or