Orchidaceous
/ˌɔːrkɪˈdeɪʃəs/noun
Relating to orchids or resembling an orchid.
Did you know?Orchid names ultimately trace back to Greek *órkhis* (“testicle”), because the plant’s paired underground tubers reminded ancient observers of anatomy.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
órkhis
“testicle”
Classical Greek
Greek
órkhis / órkhis (plant name)
“a kind of orchid, named for its root shape”
Latin
Latin
orchis
“orchid”
18th–19th Century
English
orchid
“an orchid plant”
19th Century
English
orchidaceous
“orchid-like; belonging to the orchid family”
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