orchis

noun

or·​chis ˈȯr-kəs 

: orchid

especially : any of a genus (Orchis) of orchids with fleshy roots and a spurred lip

Examples of orchis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In orchids, myth and folk medicine meet The word of the day: orchis. —National Geographic, 5 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin (New Latin as a genus name), borrowed from Greek órchis "testicle, orchid" (the latter sense from the testicle-like shape of the paired tubers of some species), going back to Indo-European *h₃erǵh-i-, whence also, with differing suffixation and ablaut, Armenian orjik‛ "testicles," Albanian herdhe, Middle Irish uirge, Avestan ərəzi, Hittite arki- "testicle," ark- "mount, copulate (with)" and, as a suffixed noun derivative, Lithuanian er̃žilas (dialectal ar̃žilas) "stallion"

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

orchis

noun

or·​chis ˈȯr-kəs 

: orchid sense 1

especially : any of a genus of woodland plants having fleshy roots and a spur on the middle petal