Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various climbing tropical American plants of the genus Philodendron, many of which are cultivated as houseplants.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A genus of araceous plants, type of the tribe Philodendreæ and the subfamily Philodendroideæ, characterized by a fruit not included in the persistent spathe, stamens united into a prismatic body, and distinct two- to ten-celled ovaries with the orthotropous ovules fixed to the inner angle of the cells.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun botany Any of several climbing plants, of the genus Philodendron, native to America and the West Indies that are often grown as house plants.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun often grown as a houseplant

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin Philodendron, genus name, from Greek, neuter of philodendros, fond of trees (from the fact that in its tropical American habitat it twines around trees) : philo-, philo- + dendron, tree; see deru- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • Debating a philodendron is kind of foolish if your as viciously ideological and incapable of thinking as the typical Repugnantcon.

    Think Progress » Republicans dismayed by Obama’s strong performance, say it was a ‘mistake’ to let cameras roll. 2010

  • So of course we understand how it is that you necessasrily cannot understand something that a philodendron could easily grasp.

    Think Progress » Hannity: Snow Storms ‘Seem To Contradict Al Gore’s Hysterical Global Warming Theories’ 2010

  • Years and years ago, in the dark ages when I was a young teenager, it was fashionable to fill your room with houseplants - spider plants, philodendron, ferns, ivy-green leggy things cradled in macrame hangars or tucked into brightly colored ceramic pots.

    Thriving 2009

  • Years and years ago, in the dark ages when I was a young teenager, it was fashionable to fill your room with houseplants - spider plants, philodendron, ferns, ivy-green leggy things cradled in macrame hangars or tucked into brightly colored ceramic pots.

    2009 May « Becca’s Byline 2009

  • He had read somewhere that it was a good idea to dip the roots of houseplants in an aquarium and promptly plunged his mother's philodendron into the family fish tank.

    Private Eye Joshua Levine 2010

  • We couldn't say who noticed it first and no one would admit to seeing it arrive; but one day, there it was— a perfect 10 inch variegated philodendron with heart-shaped leaves— sitting on the top shelf of Margaret's cubicle.

    Invasive Species E. Victoria Flynn 2011

  • I have a couple of orchids, which grow quite well by themselves here in Florida, and a potted philodendron that my sister gave me on my 30th birthday.

    Question of the Day 2009

  • Next to the philodendron Margaret placed a small cactus.

    Invasive Species E. Victoria Flynn 2011

  •  She had a row of philodendron plants that separated her property from George Crespo's.

    Poor, Dead Hamilton 2010

  • Is that like shining the leaves of my philodendron with a little mayonnaise on a damp paper towel?

    Oh No She Didn’t Clinton Kelly 2010

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