sansevieria

American  

[san-suh-vee-eer-ee-uh, -suh-veer-ee-uh] / ˌsæn sə viˈɪər i ə, -səˈvɪər i ə /

noun

1. any plant belonging to the genus Sansevieria, of the agave family, grown as a houseplant for its stiff, sword-shaped leaves and white or yellow flowers.

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sansevieria British  

/ ˌsænsɪˈvɪərɪə /

noun

1. any herbaceous perennial plant of the liliaceous genus Sansevieria, of Old World tropical regions. Some are cultivated as house plants for their erect bayonet-like fleshy leaves of variegated green (mother-in-law's tongue); others yield useful fibre (bowstring hemp)

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Etymology

Origin of sansevieria

1795–1805; < New Latin; named after San Seviero, principality of Raimondo di Sangro (1710–71), learned Neapolitan; see -ia

Example Sentences

Five easy-to-grow plants recommended by RHS include the Madagascar dragon tree, English ivy, rubber plant, Boston fern and Sansevieria trifasciata.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

Too much watering, and not even drainage, did my Sansevieria in.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2022

The building has a large atrium filled with ficus; Chinese evergreens; Schefflera, also known as an umbrella tree; and Sansevieria, also known as snake tongue or mother-in-law’s tongue.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 8, 2021

It’s a Sansevieria cylindrica ‘Starfish,’ and we call it the Westside.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2021

Sansevieria, san-sev-i-ē′ri-a, n. a genus of monocotyledonous plants of the order H�modorace�, native to southern Africa and the East Indies, yielding bowstring-hemp.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various