arum family

[ air-uhm ]

noun

1. the plant family Araceae, characterized by herbaceous plants having numerous tiny flowers on a fleshy spike above or sheathed by a large spathe, and including the anthurium, calla lily, jack-in-the-pulpit, and philodendron.

Other Words From

• arum·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of arum family¹

1545–55; < Latin < Greek áron wake-robin

Example Sentences

Richardia, ri-chr′di-a, n. a small genus of South African herbs of the Arum family, including the calla-lily.

From Project Gutenberg