Smilacaceae

plural noun

Smi·​la·​ca·​ce·​ae

ˌsmīləˈkāsēˌē

in some classifications

: a family of herbs or somewhat woody vines (order Liliales) having leaves with one to five prominent parallel veins and dioecious flowers with six perianth segments succeeded by globose berries and being commonly included in the family Liliaceae

smilacaceous

¦⸗⸗¦kāshəs

adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Smilac-, Smilax, type genus + -aceae

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!