calathea

noun

cal·​a·​thea
ˌkaləˈthēə
1
capitalized : a genus of chiefly tropical American herbs (family Marantaceae) having showily marked basal leaves and small flowers in clusters on short stems and used as foliage plants
2
plural -s : any plant of the genus Calathea

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, irregular from Latin calathus basket shaped like a flower, from Greek kalathos

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near calathea

Cite this Entry

“Calathea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calathea. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!