Rafflesia definition

ră-flēzhə
Any of a genus (Rafflesia) of foul-smelling, dicotyledonous, Malaysian plants of a parasitic family (Rafflesiaceae, order Rafflesiales) characterized by gigantic, stemless flowers and no leaves.
noun
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Any of various parasitic plants of the genus Rafflesia of Southeast Asia, having no leaves and a solitary fleshy flower with the odor of carrion. The species R. arnoldii has the largest flowers among all flowering plants, measuring up to 1 meter (3 feet) in diameter.
noun
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(botany) Any of several large parasitic plants, of the genus Rafflesia, from South East Asia, that have no roots, stems or leaves; Rafflesia arnoldii has the largest known flower with a diameter of over a yard.
noun
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A taxonomic genus within the family Rafflesiaceae "” the rafflesias.
pronoun
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
rafflesia
Plural:
rafflesias

Origin of rafflesia

  • New Latin genus name after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781–1826), British colonial administrator who acquired Singapore for the East India Company in 1819 and founded a settlement there

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Named after Sir Stamford Raffles.

    From Wiktionary