chincherinchee
[ chin-chuh-rin-chee, -rin-chee, ching-kuh- ]
/ ˌtʃɪn tʃə rɪnˈtʃi, -ˈrɪn tʃi, ˌtʃɪŋ kə- /
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noun
a bulbous plant, Ornithogalum thyrsoides, of the lily family, native to southern Africa, having dense clusters of cream-colored or white flowers.
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Origin of chincherinchee
1925–30; <Afrikaans tjienkerientjee, perhaps tjienker- (< ?) + uintjie name for various edible bulbs (compare uietjie, diminutive of ui onion); often alleged to be imitative representation of the sound produced when the stalks are rubbed together
Words nearby chincherinchee
chinbone, chin cactus, chincapin, chinch, chinch bug, chincherinchee, chinchilla, chin-chin, Chin-Chou, chinchy, Chincoteague
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
British Dictionary definitions for chincherinchee
chincherinchee
/ (ˌtʃɪntʃərɪnˈtʃiː, -ˈrɪntʃɪ) /
noun
a bulbous South African liliaceous plant, Ornithogalum thyrsoides, having long spikes of white or yellow long-lasting flowers
Word Origin for chincherinchee
of unknown origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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