pinxter flower

or pinkster flower

noun

1. a wild azalea, Rhododendron periclymenoides, of the U.S., having pink or purplish flowers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pinxter flower¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

When Thoreau encounters a rare pinxter flower in 1853, it would be enough to suggest that he was attuned to the almost nonexistent.

From New York Times

The implication for Dann is clear: “The pinxter flower was emblematic of a kind of personal Pentecost for Thoreau; he could now . . . speak in nature’s own tongue, baptizing others not yet anointed with such grace.”

From New York Times

He gilds the lily, excitedly observing that the pinxter flower derives its name from Pentecost, “when the newly baptized wore white robes signifying their exalted state.”

From New York Times