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Definition of mesembryanthemum

mesembryanthemum

/mɪˌzɛm.bɹiˈæn.θə.məm/
mes · em · bry · an · the · mum
Plural:mesembryanthemums
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mesembryanthemum Lexical Profile

• noun

1

Any succulent flowering plant of the genus Mesembryanthemum (or the broader family Aizoaceae), native primarily to southern Africa and cultivated for its fleshy leaves and showy, daisy-like blossoms with numerous narrow petals in shades of pink, magenta, yellow, or white that open in bright sunlight.

Synonyms
View all synonyms for mesembryanthemum

• Rhymes for mesembryanthemum

• Nearby Words

merveilleux
mesa
mesclun
mesembryanthemum
mesh
meshwork
meshy

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in Modern Latin from Ancient Greek mesēmbria ('midday') and anthemon ('flower'), referring to the habit of the flowers opening only in bright midday sunlight; the spelling was later altered by botanist Jakob Breyne to incorporate Greek embryon ('embryo') to accommodate night-blooming species.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Mesembryanthemum. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/mesembryanthemum
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