poinsettia

noun

poin·​set·​tia pȯin-ˈse-tē-ə 

 nonstandard  pȯint-,

nonstandard

-ˈse-tə 

: any of several spurges (genus Euphorbia) with flower clusters subtended by showy involucral bracts

especially : a showy Mexican and Central American plant (E. pulcherrima) with tapering usually scarlet bracts that suggest petals and surround small yellow flowers

Illustration of poinsettia

Examples of poinsettia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ecke started growing and selling his poinsettias in a field on Sunset Boulevard but moved to Encinitas around 1923, where Ecke Ranch became the largest poinsettia producer in the world. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025

The students snap pictures of Spiderman stuffed animals set up in a white box, while across the room other students arrange poinsettias in front of a white poster board for a photo shoot. —Keri Heath, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Dec. 2024

Give all poinsettias a spring trimming; repot new ones or add them to the landscape. 39. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025

In the mid-1960s, Edwin Frazee moved his ranunculus and gladiolus to the current location on land owned by the Ecke Family, where poinsettias had been growing. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Joel R. Poinsett †1851 American diplomat

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

poinsettia

noun

poin·​set·​tia pȯin-ˈset-ē-ə  -ˈset-ə 

: a showy Mexican and Central American plant with large scarlet bracts that grow like petals about its small yellow flowers