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.

Origin of zamia

1
1810–20; <New Latin, misreading of Latin (Pliny) (nucēs) azāniae (plural) pine cone (nuts)

Words Nearby zamia

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British Dictionary definitions for zamia

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

Origin of zamia

1
C19: from New Latin, from Latin zamiae, erroneous reading of phrase nucēs azāniae pine cones, probably from Greek azainein to dry up

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