any terrestrial or epiphytic plant of the family Orchidaceae, of temperate and tropical regions, having usually showy flowers.
the flower of any of these plants.
a bluish to reddish purple.
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.
1835–45; < New Latin Orchideae (later Orchidaceae ) family name, equivalent to Latin orch ( is ) a plant ( see orchis) + -ideae, irregular suffix ( cf. -idae); see -id 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, this is the first time the Fen Orchid has successfully been cultivated in Great Britain.
From BBC • Nov. 9, 2025
Orchid and Genomic Prediction give probabilities for disease risk, while Herasight and Nucleus Genomics say they can also give insight into a child’s likely intelligence, height and other traits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025
The Fen Orchid typically grows among reeds nestled in moss that retains moisture and relies on the presence of specific moss and fungi to grow.
From BBC • Nov. 9, 2025
Orlean is one of the New Yorker’s most high-profile writers, having been portrayed by Meryl Streep in “Adaptation,” a heavily fictionalized version of her book “The Orchid Thief.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025
Moon Orchid, who never understood the gravity of things, started smiling and laughing, pointing at Brave Orchid.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
