moonflower

American

[moon-flou-er] / ˈmunˌflaʊ ər /

noun

a plant, Ipomoea alba, of the morning glory family, having fragrant white flowers that bloom at night.

moonflower British

/ ˈmuːnˌflaʊə /

noun

any of several night-blooming convolvulaceous plants, esp the white-flowered Calonyction (or Ipomoea ) aculeatum
Also called: angels' tears. a Mexican solanaceous plant, Datura suaveolens, planted in the tropics for its white night-blooming flowers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of moonflower

First recorded in 1780–90; moon + flower

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I've read the second Susan Ryeland novel, "Moonflower Murders," which Lesley Manville narrated for the audiobook version.

From Salon • Nov. 21, 2022

It happened outside the Moonflower Cooperative – an organic grocery store in downtown Moab.

From Fox News • Sep. 21, 2021

With years of experience alpine climbing in Alaska, Huey is helping Hadeed work his way up to tackling the Moonflower Buttress on Mount Hunter in Denali National Park.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 6, 2021

Case in point, I kind of stumbled upon the pyromaniac Shark Boshaw while driving by the Moonflower Trailer Park.

From Washington Times • Apr. 6, 2018

This latter I managed to do by asking him how it chanced that the Moonflower was allowed to sport a star on her funnel.

From Sea-Hounds by Freeman, Lewis R.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023