catalpa

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any tree of the genus Catalpa, in the family Bignoniaceae. The two North American species, the southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and the northern catalpa, Catalpa speciosa — along with the yellow catalpa, Catalpa ovata, from China — are often planted as ornamentals because of their showy flowers and decorative bean pods, though others regard the bean pods as a nuisance.

Pronunciation

/kəˈtælpə/ /kəˈtɔlpə/ /kəˈtɑlpə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-catalpa.wav

Word forms

catalpa catalpas

Etymology

* A variant of catawba that originated when Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, the describing botanist, incorrectly transcribed the name. * Sometimes alternatively said to derive from Creek kvtvrpv.

Derived words

catalpic Chinese catalpa Haitian catalpa hardy catalpa Manchurian catalpa northern catalpa southern catalpa umbrella catalpa western catalpa yellow catalpa
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