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definitions

cattleya

[kat-lee-uh, kat-lee-uh, -ley-uh]
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noun

any of several tropical American orchids of the genus Cattleya, having showy flowers ranging from white to purple.

Origin of cattleya

1820–30; after William Cattley (died 1832), English botany enthusiast; see -a2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cattleya

Historical Examples of cattleya

  • The Cattleya was still there, perched aloft, as big as a hogshead.

    The Woodlands Orchids

    Frederick Boyle

  • To right in this house is Cattleya Lawrenceana, of which we have probably 150 plants.

    The Woodlands Orchids

    Frederick Boyle

  • Duchartre describes an instance wherein one of the outer sepals of Cattleya Forbesii was adherent to the labellum.

    Vegetable Teratology

    Maxwell T. Masters

  • Prillieux mentions a flower of Cattleya amethystina wherein each whorl of the perianth consisted of two opposite segments.

    Vegetable Teratology

    Maxwell T. Masters

  • Along the roof hang small plants of Cattleya gigas and others.

    The Woodlands Orchids

    Frederick Boyle

British Dictionary definitions for cattleya

cattleya

noun

any tropical American orchid of the genus Cattleya, cultivated for their purplish-pink or white showy flowers

Word Origin for cattleya

C19: New Latin, named after William Cattley (died 1832), English botanist
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