spathe
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spathe
1775–85; < Latin spatha < Greek spáthē blade, sword, stem; cf. spade 2
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 pod-like leaf called a spathe is slightly rounder and paler than the darker, flatter blades of seagrass.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The real show starts when the enormous outer layer called a spathe opens up, revealing a deep reddish interior.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Its hoodlike structure is called a spathe, which envelopes a bulb-shaped structure called the spadix, a fleshy knob dotted by dozens of tiny, petal-less yellow flowers.
From Salon ● May 27, 2025
The tiny white flowers within the spathe are an important food source for the first pollinators of the year.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 25, 2022
On opening the pointed spathe or floral envelope, a club-like mass will be noted arising from its base.
From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Anshutz, Edward Pollock
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.
