Joseph's-coat

American

[joh-zuhfs-koht, -suhfs-] / ˈdʒoʊ zəfsˈkoʊt, -səfs- /

noun

a cultivated form of Amaranthus tricolor, having headlike clusters of small flowers and blotched and colored leaves.

Etymology

Origin of Joseph's-coat

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; named after Joseph ( def. 1 ) and his coat of many colors (Genesis 37:3)

Example Sentences

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Joseph's-coat

He does not wear a Joseph's-coat Of many colours, smart and gay; His suit is Quaker brown and gray, With darker patches at his throat.

From Songs out of Doors by Van Dyke, Henry

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