houseplant

American

[hous-plant, -plahnt] / ˈhaʊsˌplænt, -ˌplɑnt /

noun

an ornamental plant that is grown indoors or adapts well to indoor culture.

Etymology

Origin of houseplant

First recorded in 1870–75; house + plant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There, an athlete can adopt a houseplant for the duration of his or her stay, nurturing it for a couple weeks before it’s donated to a local charity, perhaps for auction.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

A woman left bed-bound and unable to leave the house because of long Covid has rediscovered her passion for life by setting up a houseplant business.

From BBC • Oct. 13, 2024

Oddly enough, when I try to grow it as a houseplant, it always succumbs to red spider mites.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 3, 2024

A roll of toilet paper, a houseplant, or a kosher dill spear will do.

From New York Times • Dec. 15, 2023

You never stayed long enough to get a pet or a houseplant or hang any paintings.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023