orchid

[ awr-kid ]
/ ˈɔr kɪd /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR orchid ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any terrestrial or epiphytic plant of the family Orchidaceae, of temperate and tropical regions, having usually showy flowers.Compare orchid family.
the flower of any of these plants.
a bluish to reddish purple.

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Origin of orchid

1835–45; <New Latin Orchideae (later Orchidaceae) family name, equivalent to Latin orch(is) a plant (see orchis) + -ideae, irregular suffix (cf. -idae); see -id2

Definition for orchid (2 of 2)

orchid-

variant of orchido- before a vowel: orchidology.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to orchid

color, mauve, plum, lilac, lavender, periwinkle, violet, admiration, applause, commendation, homage, ovation, blessing, courtesy, adulation, endorsement, tribute, heliotrope, pomegranate, mulberry

British Dictionary definitions for orchid

orchid
/ (ˈɔːkɪd) /

noun

any terrestrial or epiphytic plant of the family Orchidaceae, often having flowers of unusual shapes and beautiful colours, specialized for pollination by certain insectsSee bee orchid, burnt-tip orchid, fly orchid, frog orchid, lady orchid, lizard orchid, man orchid, monkey orchid, purple-fringed orchid, pyramidal orchid, scented orchid, spider orchid, spotted orchid

Word Origin for orchid

C19: from New Latin Orchideae; see orchis
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