zinnia - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

zin·ni·a

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–noun

any of several composite plants of the genus Zinnia, native to Mexico and adjacent areas, esp. the widely cultivated species Z. elegans, having variously colored, many-rayed flower heads.

[Origin: 1760–70; < NL, named after J. G. Zinn (1727–59), German botanist; see -ia

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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zinnia

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

zin·ni·a Audio Help (zĭn'ē-ə) Pronunciation Key
n. Any of various plants of the genus Zinnia, native to tropical America, especially Z. elegans, widely cultivated for its showy, rayed, variously colored flower heads. Also called regionally old maid, old maid flower.

[New Latin Zinnia, genus name, after Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759), German botanist.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
zinnia

genus of herbs of the aster family, 1767, from Mod.L. (Linnæus, 1763), named for Ger. botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1729-59)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

zinnia
noun
any of various plants of the genus Zinnia cultivated for their variously and brightly colored flower heads

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Zinnia

Zin"ni*a\, n. [NL. So called after Professor Zinn, of G["o]ttingen.] (Bot.) Any plant of the composite genus Zinnia, Mexican herbs with opposite leaves and large gay-colored blossoms. Zinnia elegans is the commonest species in cultivation.

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