orchis
Americannoun
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any orchid.
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any of various terrestrial orchids, especially of the genus Orchis, of temperate regions, having spikelike flowers.
noun
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any terrestrial orchid of the N temperate genus Orchis, having fleshy tubers and spikes of typically pink flowers
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any of various temperate or tropical orchids of the genus Habenaria, such as the fringed orchis
Etymology
Origin of orchis
1555–65; < Latin < Greek órchis testicle, plant with roots like testicles
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.
The same can be said of salep, a fine powder ground from dried orchis tubers used in the Middle East to thicken ice cream.
From Newsweek
She was like, Lawrence thought, a most rare wild wood flower, some spiritual orchis or delicious and delicate geranium; in contrast to the severely trained, massive and immoveable tulips and camellias of society.
From The End of a Coil by Susan Warner
He speaketh now of antimony and orchis, but I fear—I fear he can give nothing to do any good.
From The White Lady of Hazelwood A Tale of the Fourteenth Century by W. (William) Rainey
And—yes! there is actually a honey-bee droning about that orchis, singing his welcome song of home, and fire-sides, and kindly greetings!
From The International Monthly, Volume 4, No. 3, October, 1851 by Various
He decided to speak when he saw the next orchis.
From My Impressions of America by Margot Asquith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
