Meaning & use
begonias
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“begonias” is a form of “begonia”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounplural
Bright-flowered plants with thick, often waxy leaves, usually grown in gardens or as houseplants.
Grammar: This is the plural; for one plant say 'a begonia'.
Patterns
- grow begonias
- plant begonias in something
- a pot of begonias
She fills her window boxes with pink and white begonias every spring.
The begonias in the shady corner are still flowering in October.
He bought six begonias at the garden center for the front border.
Word forms
| singular | begonia |
|---|
Common combinations
- wax begonias
- Wax begonias are easy to keep on a sunny windowsill.
- tuberous begonias
- Tuberous begonias need lifting and storing before the first frost.
- a bed of begonias
- The park has a huge bed of begonias near the fountain.
- begonias in bloom
- The begonias in bloom made the whole patio look cheerful.
- hardy begonias
- Hardy begonias survive mild winters outdoors.
Word family
- begonia noun
- One plant of this kind; the usual singular form.
Commonly confused: begonias or gardenia?
begonias vs gardenia
A gardenia is a different plant with fragrant white flowers and glossy dark leaves; begonias are grown mainly for their long-lasting colorful blooms.
Practice
Which sentence uses the headword correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Begonias' is the plural, so it takes a plural verb and can follow 'the': 'the begonias'. Option 2 mixes a singular noun with a plural place in a way that changes the meaning, and options 3 and 4 use the wrong article with the singular or plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “begonias”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.