clematis

[ klem-uh-tis, kli-mat-is ]

/ ˈklɛm ə tɪs, klɪˈmæt ɪs /

Save This Word!

noun

any of numerous plants or woody vines of the genus Clematis, including many species cultivated for their showy, variously colored flowers.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Compare traveler's-joy, virgin's-bower.

Origin of clematis

1545–55; <Latin <Greek klēmatís name of several climbing plants

Words nearby clematis

cleistogamy, cleistothecium, Cleland, clem, clemastine fumarate, clematis, Clemenceau, Clemenceau, Georges, clemency, Clemens, Clemens, Samuel L.

How to use clematis in a sentence

She leaned close to the trellis, and parting the sprays of clematis that covered it looked into a corner of the room.
Summer|Edith Wharton
Hard Cider came to build our pergola, and the clematis vines arrived to grow over it.
The Idyl of Twin Fires|Walter Prichard Eaton
Such a lovely house, half covered with purple clematis and Virginia creeper, and a dear little chapel, and beautiful grounds!
A Life Sentence|Adeline Sergeant
The gardens were strewn with smouldering soft ashes of late roses, late honeysuckle, honey-sweet clematis.
Ceres' Runaway|Alice Meynell

Around the case he planted wild clematis, bittersweet, and wild-grapevines, and trained them over it until it was almost covered.
Freckles|Gene Stratton-Porter

British Dictionary definitions for clematis

clematis

/ (ˈklɛmətɪs, kləˈmeɪtɪs) /

noun

any N temperate ranunculaceous climbing plant or erect shrub of the genus Clematis, having plumelike fruits. Many species are cultivated for their large colourful flowersSee also traveller's joy

Word Origin for clematis

C16: from Latin, from Greek klēmatis climbing plant, brushwood, from klēma twig

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