wisteria

[ wi-steer-ee-uh ]

/ wɪˈstɪər i ə /

noun

any climbing shrub belonging to the genus Wisteria, of the legume family, having showy, pendent clusters of blue-violet, white, purple, or rose flowers.

Nearby words

Also wis·tar·i·a

[wi-steer-ee-uh, -stair-] /wɪˈstɪər i ə, -ˈstɛər-/.

Origin of wisteria

< New Latin Wistaria (1818), named after Caspar Wistar (1761–1818), U.S. anatomist; see -ia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for wisteria

What happened on Wisteria Lane in its eighth season just could not compete with that reality.
‘Desperate Housewives’: 12 Most-Memorable Moments|Maria Elena Fernandez|May 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
And Susan leaves Wisteria Lane to help her daughter, Julie, raise her baby.
‘Desperate Housewives’: 12 Most-Memorable Moments|Maria Elena Fernandez|May 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The furniture was upholstered with a wisteria pattern, except a few chairs which were cane-seated, with silvered wood.
The Butterfly House|Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
One can reasonably assert, that the wisteria is the leading flower for the pergola or arbor.
Garden Ornaments|Mary H. Northend

The dress worn is of ancient type and bears the Wisteria crest of the Hasaga temple.
My Trip Around the World|Eleonora Hunt
These fireworks represented different scenes in the history of China, grape vines, wisteria blossoms, and many other flowers.
Two Years in the Forbidden City|The Princess Der Ling
The wisteria is another flower which is cultivated in great quantities in Japan.
Games For All Occasions|Mary E. Blain

British Dictionary definitions for wisteria

wisteria

/ (wɪˈstɪərɪə) /

noun

any twining leguminous woody climbing plant of the genus Wisteria, of E Asia and North America, having blue, purple, or white flowers in large drooping clusters

Word Origin for wisteria

C19: from New Latin, named after Caspar Wistar (1761–1818), American anatomist

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

Word Origin and History for wisteria

wisteria

1819, formed by Thomas Nuttall, English botanist, in recognition of American anatomist Caspar Wistar (1761-1818) of Philadelphia. The -e- apparently is a misprint.