Illustration of orchid
- orchid 1
1
: any of a large family (Orchidaceae, the orchid family) of perennial epiphytic or terrestrial monocotyledonous plants that usually have showy 3-petaled flowers with the middle petal enlarged into a lip and differing from the others in shape and color
2
: a light purple
Examples of orchid in a Sentence
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The addition of classic solar notes like benzoin, vanilla orchid, and amber woods ensures the sugary sweetness never becomes too sweet or headache-inducing.
—
Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Orchid Fever How seductive are orchids?
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
The vanilla orchid brings another layer of sophistication that keeps this from feeling too dessert-like.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
The structure is inspired by Assam’s natural environment, culture, and biodiversity—and particularly by orchids and bamboo.
—Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025
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Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Orchid Fever How seductive are orchids?
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
The vanilla orchid brings another layer of sophistication that keeps this from feeling too dessert-like.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
The structure is inspired by Assam’s natural environment, culture, and biodiversity—and particularly by orchids and bamboo.
—Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for orchid
Cite this Entry
“Orchid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orchid. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
orchid
noun
or·chid
ˈȯr-kəd 
1
: any plant or flower of a large family of plants that have usually showy flowers with three petals of which the middle petal is enlarged and differs from the others in shape and color
2
: a light purple
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