bignonia

[ big-noh-nee-uh ]

noun

1. any chiefly tropical American climbing shrub of the genus Bignonia, cultivated for its showy, trumpet-shaped flowers.
2. any member of the plant family Bignoniaceae, characterized by trees, shrubs, and woody vines having opposite leaves, showy, bisexual, tubular flowers, and often large, gourdlike or capsular fruit with flat, winged seeds, and including the bignonia, catalpa, princess tree, and trumpet creeper.

bignonia

/ bɪɡˈnəʊnɪə /

noun

1. any tropical American bignoniaceous climbing shrub of the genus Bignonia (or Doxantha ), cultivated for their trumpet-shaped yellow or reddish flowers See also cross vine

Word History and Origins

Origin of bignonia¹

1690–1700; < New Latin, named after Abbé Bignon (librarian of Louis XIV of France); -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of bignonia¹

C19: from New Latin, named after the Abbé Jean-Paul Bignon (1662–1743)

Example Sentences

The lofty panax, Bignonia, copaiva, rising to a hundred feet in height, were peopled with living things, all in apparent consternation at the sudden changes of the scene.

From Project Gutenberg

Bignonias, oleanders, and other blooming plants abound in the flower-plots about the city, besides many flowering vines which are strangers to us, half orchids, half creepers.

From Project Gutenberg

Bignonia capreolata.—This is the hardiest of the Bignonias.

From Project Gutenberg

Bignonia will give satisfaction south of Chicago, in most localities.

From Project Gutenberg

Bignonia echinata.—A native of Mexico, where it is sometimes called Mariposa butterfly.

From Project Gutenberg