calceolaria

American  

[kal-see-uh-lair-ee-uh] / ˌkæl si əˈlɛər i ə /

noun

1. any plant of the genus Calceolaria, of the figwort family, various species of which are cultivated for their slipperlike flowers.

---

calceolaria British  

/ ˌkælsɪəˈlɛərɪə /

noun

1. Also called: slipperwort.  any tropical American scrophulariaceous plant of the genus Calceolaria: cultivated for its speckled slipper-shaped flowers

---

Etymology

Origin of calceolaria

1840–50; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin calceol ( us ) small shoe ( calce ( us ) shoe + -olus -ole ¹ ) + -āria -aria

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

calceolaria

She has had a hybrid amaryllis and a yellow calceolaria named in her honor.

From Time Magazine Archive

In some corollas the two lips become hollowed out in a remarkable manner, as in calceolaria, assuming a slipper-like appearance, similar to what occurs in the labellum of some orchids, as Cypripedium.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5 "Fleury, Claude" to "Foraker" by Various

I travel, like a social pariah, Without a single calceolaria!

From The Motley Muse (Rhymes for the Times) by Graham, Harry

I haven't been so excited since I recognised a calceolaria last year, and told my host it was a calceolaria just before he told me.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, May 27, 1914 by Seaman, Owen, Sir

I haven't been so excited since I recognized a calceolaria last year, and told my host it was a calceolaria just before he told me.

From The Sunny Side by Milne, A. A. (Alan Alexander)