naked lady
naked lady Lexical Profile
• noun
A literal description of a woman who is not wearing any clothing.
"The museum's classical art wing featured a grand marble statue of a naked lady emerging from the sea."
A common name for various flowering bulbous plants, particularly Amaryllis belladonna and Colchicum autumnale, distinguished by their characteristic of producing flowers in late summer or autumn before their leaves appear.
"The gardener planted a row of naked ladies along the border, knowing their sudden pink blooms would brighten the yard in early September."
Word Nuance & Usage
While the phrase literally refers to an unclothed woman, it is widely used in horticultural contexts as an accepted common name for several bulbous plants that bloom before producing leaves.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the literal English words 'naked' and 'lady'. In botany, the term was coined because the striking, delicate flowers of these plants emerge entirely bare from the soil, devoid of any protective or accompanying foliage.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.