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Synonyms

orchid

1 American  
[awr-kid] / ˈɔr kɪd /

noun

  1. any terrestrial or epiphytic plant of the family Orchidaceae, of temperate and tropical regions, having usually showy flowers.

  2. the flower of any of these plants.

  3. a bluish to reddish purple.

orchid- 2 American  

  1. variant of orchido- before a vowel.

    orchidology.
orchid British  
/ ˈɔːkɪd /

noun

  1. any terrestrial or epiphytic plant of the family Orchidaceae, often having flowers of unusual shapes and beautiful colours, specialized for pollination by certain insects See bee orchid burnt-tip orchid fly orchid frog orchid lady orchid lizard orchid man orchid monkey orchid purple-fringed orchid pyramidal orchid scented orchid spider orchid spotted orchid

"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

Usage

What does orchid- mean? Orchid- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning either “testicle” (testis) or "orchid." In medicine, it refers to testicles. In botany, it refers to orchid flowers.Orchid- comes from the Greek órchis, meaning “testicle.” How did the Greek word for testicle give rise to the name of a type of beautiful flower? Well, the roots of orchids were thought to resemble testicles. Learn more at our entry for orchis.Orchid- is a variant of orchido-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.Want to know more? Read our Words That Use orchido- article.The combining forms orchi-, as in orchiectomy, and orchio-, as in orchioplasty, are other variants of this combining form used to refer to testicles in medical terms.

Etymology

Origin of orchid

1835–45; < New Latin Orchideae (later Orchidaceae ) family name, equivalent to Latin orch ( is ) a plant ( orchis ) + -ideae, irregular suffix ( -idae ); -id 2

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.

A rare wild orchid has been brought back from the brink of extinction by the work of dedicated conservationists.

From BBC • Nov. 9, 2025

Koja is concerned about the loss of unique indigenous trees like the giant orchid, already a problem before mining has even started.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

The Kobe University finding not only closes a gap in our understanding of wild orchid ecology but also uncovers an important carbon flux in the ecosystem.

From Science Daily • Oct. 8, 2025

The board-certified internist asserted her authority by wielding data, what she called “brute force” and the soft persuasion of an occasional gift of an orchid, picked from her garden in suburban Maryland.

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2025

Dedd has placed a silk orchid in a vase on the little table below them.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.