antirrhinum

/ ˌæntɪˈraɪnəm /

noun

1. any scrophulariaceous plant of the genus Antirrhinum, esp the snapdragon, which have two-lipped flowers of various colours

Word History and Origins

Origin of antirrhinum¹

C16: via Latin from Greek antirrhinon, from anti- (imitating) + rhis nose; so called from a fancied likeness to an animal's snout

Example Sentences

He writes that “a snapdragon is now called an antirrhinum, a word no one can spell”—let alone pronounce—“without consulting a dictionary,” and that “forget-me-nots are coming more and more to be called myosotis.”

From The New Yorker

He writes that “a snapdragon is now called an antirrhinum, a word no one can spell”—let alone pronounce—“without consulting a dictionary,” and that “forget-me-nots are coming more and more to be called myosotis.”

From The New Yorker

Flowers.—Blue; in terminal racemes; like those of Antirrhinum, but the tube furnished with a long, downward-pointing spur at base.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the Antirrhinum, or snapdragon, is completely closed, and only a somewhat powerful insect can force its way in.

From Project Gutenberg

Scrophularia, skrof-ū-lā′ri-a, n. the figwort genus of herbs, type of the Scrophulariace� or Scrophularine�, a natural order containing almost 2000 known species, chiefly herbaceous and half-shrubby plants—Digitalis or Fox-glove, Calceolaria, Mimulus, Antirrhinum or Snap-dragon, Veronica or Speedwell, and Euphrasia or Eye-bright, &c.

From Project Gutenberg