oncidium

[ on-sid-ee-uhm ]

/ ɒnˈsɪd i əm /

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noun

any of numerous tropical American orchids of the genus Oncidium, having clusters of flowers showing great variety in size, form, and color.

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Also called dancing lady orchid.

Origin of oncidium

<New Latin (1800), equivalent to Greek onk(o)- (combining form of ónkos barb of an arrow) + New Latin -idium-idium; so called from the crests on the labellum

Words nearby oncidium

once-over-lightly, oncer, once upon a time, Onchocerca, onchocerciasis, oncidium, on cloud nine, onco-, oncocyte, oncocytic hepatocellular tumor, oncocytoma

How to use oncidium in a sentence

This admirable collector was hunting for Oncidium splendidum, a stately flower not very uncommon once, but long extinct in Europe.
The Woodlands Orchids|Frederick Boyle
He was looking for orchids, however, and who could have expected to find an Oncidium buried among herbage in the open ground?
The Woodlands Orchids|Frederick Boyle
This is important, as it explains all the astounding projections on the labellum of Oncidium, Phalaenopsis, etc.
More Letters of Charles Darwin Volume II|Charles Darwin
Oncidium ornithorhynchum is an example; some like the odour of it very much, while it is disagreeable to others.
Orchids|James O'Brien

In this Oncidium, then, we have evidently a record of many bygone processes.
Omphalos|Philip Henry Gosse