morning glory
morning glory Lexical Profile
• noun
A climbing vine of the family Convolvulaceae, characterized by heart-shaped leaves and brightly colored, trumpet-shaped flowers that typically unfurl in the morning and close by the afternoon.
"The gardener planted morning glories along the wooden trellis to add a vibrant splash of blue and purple to the patio."
Australian A rare meteorological phenomenon consisting of a low-level, solitary roll cloud, most famously observed in the Gulf of Carpentaria region of Northern Australia.
"Glider pilots from around the world travel to Queensland to surf the massive atmospheric wave generated by the morning glory cloud."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century, named for the plant's characteristic trumpet-shaped flowers that typically bloom in the early morning sunlight and close or wither by the afternoon.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.