bromeliad

noun

bro·​me·​li·​ad brō-ˈmē-lē-ˌad How to pronounce bromeliad (audio)
: any of the chiefly tropical American usually epiphytic plants comprising the pineapple family and including Spanish moss and various ornamentals

Examples of bromeliad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Flush out the centers of bromeliad plants in the ground. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 Orchids, hoa mai trees and bromeliads are popular blooms this time of year. Heather McRea, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 It’s ringed by bromeliads that resemble pink pineapples. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 The trees had epiphytes, ferns, bromeliads, and orchids running up their trunks, adding a furry, Dr. Seuss quality to them. John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2023 Move tropical bromeliads and cold sensitive succulents under the eaves or patio cover to protect them from cold. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2023 Protect cold-sensitive plants like Plumeria, bromeliads, some kinds of succulents, etc. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023 The path, sometimes manicured with paving stones, sometimes a muddy track, wound through thick cloud forests and was dotted with mosses, ferns, and bromeliads. Tom Vanderbilt, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2023 In fact, some of the most popular plants known as moss are not actually mosses (Irish moss belongs to the carnation family; Spanish moss is a bromeliad). Jenny Comita, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bromeliad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Bromelia, genus of tropical American plants, from Olaf Bromelius †1705 Swedish botanist

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bromeliad was in 1866

Dictionary Entries Near bromeliad

Cite this Entry

“Bromeliad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bromeliad. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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