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Definition of poinsettia

poinsettia

/pɔɪnˈsɛt.i.ə/
poin · set · ti · a
Plural:poinsettias
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poinsettia Lexical Profile

poinsettia Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A shrubby plant of the spurge family (Euphorbia pulcherrima), native to Mexico and Central America, widely cultivated as a decorative houseplant for its showy, star-shaped clusters of bright scarlet, pink, or white floral bracts surrounding small yellow blossoms, especially popular at Christmas.

Example

"She placed a potted red poinsettia on the mantelpiece to brighten the living room for the holidays."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for poinsettia

Word Nuance & Usage

Although commonly pronounced without the 'i' in the final syllable (/pɔɪnˈsɛtə/), the spelling retains the 'i' before the final 'a', and what are popularly called its red 'flowers' are botanically modified leaves known as bracts.

• Rhymes for poinsettia

• Nearby Words

podophyllum
podranea
poi
poinsettia
pointed gourd
pointer
poison ivy

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in Modern Latin in the 1830s in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779–1851), the first United States Minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant to the United States in 1828.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Poinsettia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 19, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/poinsettia
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