spathe

English

Etymology

From Latin spatha, from Ancient Greek σπάθη (spáthē, “blade”). Doublet of epee, spatha, and spade.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /speɪð/
• Rhymes: -eɪð

Noun

spathe (plural spathes)

1. (botany) A large bract that envelops or subtends a whole inflorescence, typically a spadix.

Translations

large bract that envelopes a spadix

• Faroese: hylkisblað n
• Finnish: spatha, puikelon suojuslehti
• Icelandic: hulsturblað n
• Swedish: hölsterblad n, hölster (sv) n

See also

• spadix

Anagrams

• Spaeth, apeths, pethas

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin spatha, from Ancient Greek σπάθη (spáthē). Doublet of épée, which was inherited.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spat/

Noun

spathe f (plural spathes)

1. (botany) spathe

Further reading

• “spathe”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.