spathe

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/speɪð/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(spāᵺ)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
spathe  (spāᵺ),USA pronunciation n. [Bot.]
  1. Botanya bract or pair of bracts, often large and colored, subtending or enclosing a spadix or flower cluster.
  • Greek spáthē blade, sword, stem; compare spade2
  • Latin spatha
  • 1775–85
spathed, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
spathe / speɪð/
  1. a large bract, often coloured, that surrounds the inflorescence of aroid plants and palms
Etymology: 18th Century: from Latin spatha, from Greek spathē a bladespathaceous / spəˈθeɪʃəs/
'spathe' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aroid - arrow arum - arum - arum family - calla - cuckoopint - devil's-tongue - dragon - flamingo-flower - jack-in-the-pulpit - skunk cabbage - spade - spadix - spathaceous - spathiphyllum - spathose - spatula - épée

Forum discussions with the word(s) "spathe" in the title:


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