zamia

[ zey-mee-uh ]

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Zamia, chiefly of tropical and subtropical America, having a short, tuberous stem and a crown of palmlike pinnate leaves.

zamia

/ ˈzeɪmɪə /

noun

1. any cycadaceous plant of the genus Zamia, of tropical and subtropical America, having a short thick trunk, palmlike leaves, and short stout cones

Word History and Origins

Origin of zamia¹

1810–20; < New Latin, misreading of Latin (Pliny) ( nucēs ) azāniae (plural) pine cone (nuts)

Word History and Origins

Origin of zamia¹

C19: from New Latin, from Latin zamiae, erroneous reading of phrase nucēs azāniae pine cones, probably from Greek azainein to dry up

Example Sentences

I crouched behind the thick tussocks of the zamias.

From Project Gutenberg

But there is also a growth of buried underwood, consisting of arbutus, barberry, fuchsias, flowering currants, and a singular fern, also occurring in the island of Juan Fernandez, and resembling the zamia of Australia.

From Project Gutenberg

I cross thy fields of lava, rugged in outline, and yet more rugged with their coverture of strange vegetable forms—acacias and cactus, yuccas and zamias.

From Project Gutenberg

It then suddenly changed into red sandy stringy-bark ridges, with a dense under-growth of vines, zamias, and pandanus, which made the walking difficult and painful.

From Project Gutenberg