catalpa means any tree of the genus Catalpa, in the family Bignoniaceae. The two North American species, the southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and the northern catalpa, Catalpa speciosa — along with the yellow catalpa, Catalpa ovata, from China — are often planted as ornamentals because of their showy flowers and decorative bean pods, though others regard the bean pods as a nuisance.
catalpa is pronounced /kəˈtælpə/.
Etymology
* A variant of catawba that originated when Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, the describing botanist, incorrectly transcribed the name. * Sometimes alternatively said to derive from Creek kvtvrpv.
noun
- Any tree of the genus Catalpa, in the family Bignoniaceae. The two North American species, the southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and the northern catalpa, Catalpa speciosa — along with the yellow catalpa, Catalpa ovata, from China — are often planted as ornamentals because of their showy flowers and decorative bean pods, though others regard the bean pods as a nuisance.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- bignonia 72% match — Any member of the genus Bignonia of flowering plants in the catalpa family. vs catalpa →
- catalpic 70% match — Relating to catalpa vs catalpa →
- cattleya 54% match — Any plant of the genus Cattleya, a genus of orchids. vs catalpa →
- dogwood 54% match — Any of various small trees of the genus Cornus, especially the wild cornel and the flowering cornel. vs catalpa →
- ceiba 53% match — Any tree of the genus Ceiba, the best-known of which is Ceiba pentandra. vs catalpa →
- poplar 53% match — Any of various deciduous trees of the genus Populus. vs catalpa →
- magnolia 53% match — A tree or shrub in any species of the genus Magnolia, many with large flowers and simple leaves. vs catalpa →
- sabino 53% match — Any of various trees:; bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). vs catalpa →