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Definition of tulbaghia
tulbaghia
/tʌlˈbæɡ.i.ə/
tul · bagh · i · a
Plural:tulbaghias
tulbaghia Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of a genus (Tulbaghia) of herbaceous perennial plants in the amaryllis family, native to southern Africa, notable for their star-shaped flowers and a strong garlic or onion odor when their leaves are bruised.
Example
"The landscaper chose to border the pathway with tulbaghia, colloquially known as society garlic, because its striking purple blooms are both beautiful and deer-resistant."
Word Origin & Etymology
Named by Carl Linnaeus in honor of Ryk Tulbagh, an 18th-century Dutch governor of the Cape of Good Hope, who sent him numerous botanical specimens from South Africa.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tulbaghia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tulbaghia