protea

British  

/ ˌprəʊtɪˈeɪʃəs, ˈprəʊtɪə /

noun

1. any shrub or small tree of the genus Protea, of tropical and southern Africa, having flowers with coloured bracts arranged in showy heads: family Proteaceae

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Other Word Forms

• proteaceous adjective

Etymology

Origin of protea

C20: from New Latin, from _Proteus , referring to the large number of different forms of the plant

Example Sentences

Hartman loves growing crops, and his mother mentioned protea, an ancient type of flowering plant found in South Africa and Australia.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

The spine of Church Street is graced with more than a dozen Cape Dutch buildings, some draped in bougainvillea and adorned with tropical plants — fynbos, protea or cactus flowers.

From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2019

Guinea fowl squawk around the sculpture garden, native flowers protea and strelitzia light up the flowerbeds, attracting colourful sugarbirds and sunbirds.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2018

At the lower altitudes pass lavender farms and protea fields and farmhouses serving great organic breakfasts on terraces overlooking the radiant rolling countryside.

From Washington Times • Feb. 29, 2016

He was forced to hire a pair of bodyguards to protea him from his own excesses.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende