Meaning & use
dancing lady orchid
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Meaning
nouncountablebiology
A kind of orchid of the genus Oncidium whose many small yellow-and-brown flowers look like dancers in ruffled skirts.
Grammar: A common name for a plant: a dancing lady orchid, two dancing lady orchids.
Patterns
- grow a dancing lady orchid
The dancing lady orchid on the windowsill produced a long spray of yellow flowers.
She bought a dancing lady orchid because the blossoms looked like tiny dancers.
A dancing lady orchid likes bright light but not harsh midday sun.
Word forms
| plural | dancing lady orchids |
|---|
Common combinations
- dancing lady orchid in bloom
- The dancing lady orchid in bloom filled the greenhouse with color.
- repot a dancing lady orchid
- You should repot a dancing lady orchid every couple of years.
- water a dancing lady orchid
- Water a dancing lady orchid once the top of the bark feels dry.
- spray of dancing lady orchids
- A spray of dancing lady orchids decorated the hall.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Oncidium
- Oncidium is the scientific genus name used by growers and botanists, while dancing lady orchid is the friendly common name.
- golden shower orchid
- Golden shower orchid is another popular name for some Oncidium orchids, often those with long, drooping yellow sprays.
Word family
- orchid noun
- a plant in the large family known for showy, often fragrant flowers
- orchidaceous adjective
- belonging to the orchid family
- orchidist noun
- a person who grows or studies orchids
Commonly confused: dancing lady orchid or moth orchid?
dancing lady orchid vs moth orchid
A moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) has large, flat, rounded blooms, not the small dancer-like flowers of a dancing lady orchid.
Practice
Why is the Oncidium orchid called a dancing lady orchid?
Choose one answer.
The name comes from the flower shape, which looks like a dancing figure. The other options are invented explanations.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dancing lady orchid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.