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cypripedium

(sip′rə pē′dē əm)

any of a genus (Cypripedium) of soil-rooted orchids of the North Temperate Zone, with flat leaves and white, yellow, or rosy-purple flowers, each having a pouchlike lip petal; lady-slipper
any of various cultivated species (genus Paphiopedilum) of tropical orchids with fleshy, folded leaves and green, yellow, or brown-purple flowers of waxy texture

Origin: ModL, lady-slipper < Gr Kypris, Venus (lit., the Cyprian goddess) + podion, slipper, dim. < pous (gen. podis), foot

See cypripedium in American Heritage Dictionary 4

cyp·ri·pe·di·um

noun

Any of various orchids of the genus Cypripedium, such as the lady's slipper.

Origin: New Latin Cypripedium, genus name : Late Latin Cypris, Venus (from Greek Kupris, Aphrodite, from Kupros, Cyprus, legendary birthplace of Aphrodite) + New Latin -pedium (alteration of Greek pedilon, sandal; see ped- in Indo-European roots).

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