tuberose

¹

[ toob-rohz, tyoob-, too-buh-rohz, tyoo- ]

noun

1. a bulbous plant, Polianthes tuberosa, of the agave family, cultivated for its spike of fragrant, creamy-white, lily-like flowers.

tuberose

²

[ too-buh-rohs, tyoo- ]

adjective

1. tuberous.

tuberose

noun

1. a perennial Mexican agave plant, Polianthes tuberosa , having a tuberous root and spikes of white fragrant lily-like flowers

adjective

1. a variant of tuberous

Word History and Origins

Origin of tuberose¹

1655–65; < New Latin tuberosa, the specific epithet, feminine of Latin tūberōsus tuberose ²

Origin of tuberose²

First recorded in 1695–1705, tuberose is from the Latin word tūberōsus knobby. See tuber ¹, -ose ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tuberose¹

C17: from Latin tūberōsus full of lumps; referring to its root

Example Sentences

The gardens sprawl in four sections, reimagining the vision of Sun King, Louis XIV, who wanted his grounds to overflow with the scents of orange blossom, hyacinth, tuberose and jasmine.

From Seattle Times

She could smell her mother's perfume, the scent of tuberoses that followed her still wherever she went.

From Literature

I love the smell of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon in wintertime, then gardenia, tuberose and lavender in summer.

From Seattle Times

Some, like tuberose and gardenia, open in the day but grow more potent and explicit after sundown, exuding a heavy-lidded fragrance of sweetness teetering on decay.

From New York Times

“The tuberose brings more opulence, more intensity, a more enveloping feeling,” said Polge, who attended the dinner party to celebrate the scent he created.

From Los Angeles Times