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

But the coastal city becomes even more charming in spring, if that’s even possible, thanks to the proliferation of purple wisteria, magenta azaleas, and window boxes that spill over with colorful blooms. —Annie Daly, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026

Pollinator-friendly plants, which reflect an effort to make the garden ecologically sound as well as pleasing, have been integrated with the traditional roses and wisteria. —Amy Waldman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026

Opt for wispy wisteria bangs for something low maintenance or turn up the face-framing flattery with a thicker curtain fringe. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026

Invasive plants such as English ivy and Chinese wisteria are also potentially destructive. —Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 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
• neisseria
• 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