mariposa lily

[ mar-uh-poh-suh, -zuh ]
/ ˌmær əˈpoʊ sə, -zə /

noun

any lily of the genus Calochortus, of the western U.S. and Mexico, having tuliplike flowers of various colors.
Also called mar·i·po·sa, mariposa tulip.

Origin of mariposa lily

1880–85, Americanism; < Spanish mariposa butterfly, moth; so named because blooms were likened to butterflies

Words nearby mariposa lily

Example sentences from the Web for mariposa

British Dictionary definitions for mariposa

mariposa
/ (ˌmærɪˈpəʊzə, -sə) /

noun

any of several liliaceous plants of the genus Calochortus, of the southwestern US and Mexico, having brightly coloured tulip-like flowers Also called: mariposa lily, mariposa tulip

Word Origin for mariposa

C19: from Spanish: butterfly; from the likeness of the blooms to butterflies