Search Dictionary
Definition of zephyranthes
zephyranthes
/ˌzɛfɪˈrænθiːz/
zeph · y · ran · thes
Plural:zephyranthes
zephyranthes Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A genus of small, bulbous plants in the amaryllis family, native to the Americas, widely known as rain lilies due to their tendency to bloom suddenly after heavy downpours.
Example
"The gardener planted a border of zephyranthes that burst into delicate, star-shaped white flowers just hours after the passing thunderstorm."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for zephyranthes• Rhymes for zephyranthes
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1821 by English botanist William Herbert from Ancient Greek 'zephuros' (the west wind) and 'anthos' (flower).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Zephyranthes. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/zephyranthes