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Definition of calathea
calathea
/ˌkæləˈθiːə/
cal · a · the · a
Plural:calatheas
calathea Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
calathea Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A plant of a diverse genus within the arrowroot family (Marantaceae), native to the tropical Americas and widely cultivated as an indoor houseplant for its large, strikingly patterned and often colorful foliage.
Example
"She carefully monitored the humidity in her sunroom to ensure her sensitive calathea would thrive without the edges of its leaves turning brown."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for calathea• Rhymes for calathea
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Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century in Modern Latin, derived from the Greek word 'kalathos' meaning 'basket'. The name likely refers either to the basket-like shape of the plant's inflorescences or to the traditional use of its large, tough leaves for basket weaving by indigenous peoples of South America.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Calathea. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/calathea