wisteria

noun

wis·​te·​ria wi-ˈstir-ē-ə 

variants or less commonly wistaria

wi-ˈstir-ē-ə 

also

-ˈster- 

: any of a genus (Wisteria) of mostly woody leguminous vines of China, Japan, and the southeastern U.S. that have pinnately compound leaves and long racemes of showy blue, white, purple, or rose papilionaceous flowers and that include several (such as W. sinensis and W. floribunda) grown as ornamentals

Illustration of wisteria

Examples of wisteria in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The trellis stands 35 inches tall before it’s staked into the ground, and features a supportive metal frame that’s perfect for climbing plants, like clematis, ivy, wisteria, or certain roses. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 May 2026

The most recent additions include the Japanese angelica tree, Japanese wisteria, Quackgrass and Chinese wisteria, which were all added to the list in 2024. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026

The carpet is framed by a cloud of light purple, pink, and white wisteria, lining the tent’s ceiling and walls. —Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 4 May 2026

Light purple, white and pink wisteria also line the carpet, ceiling and walls. —Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Wisteria, from Caspar Wistar †1818 American physician

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wisteria

• arteria
• bacteria
• criteria
• diphtheria
• egeria
• listeria
• cafeteria
• cyanobacteria
• mycobacteria

Kids Definition

wisteria

noun

wis·​te·​ria wis-ˈtir-ē-ə 

variants also wistaria

-ˈtir-ē-ə 

also

-ˈter- 

: any of a genus of mostly woody vines of China, Japan, and the southeastern U.S. that belong to the legume family and have leaves with numerous leaflets and showy blue, white, purple, or rose flowers in long hanging clusters

Etymology

named for Caspar Wistar 1761–1818 American physician