zamia

[ zey-mee-uh ]
/ ˈzeɪ mi ə /

noun

any of various plants of the genus Zamia, chiefly of tropical and subtropical America, having a short, tuberous stem and a crown of palmlike pinnate leaves.

Origin of zamia

1810–20; < New Latin, misreading of Latin (Pliny) ( nucēs) azāniae (plural) pine cone (nuts)

Words nearby zamia

zamboanga, zamboni, zambuck, zamenhof, zamfara, zamia, zamindar, zamindari, zamora, zams, zamyatin

Example sentences from the Web for zamia

British Dictionary definitions for zamia

zamia
/ (ˈzeɪmɪə) /

noun

any cycadaceous plant of the genus Zamia, of tropical and subtropical America, having a short thick trunk, palmlike leaves, and short stout cones

Word Origin for zamia

C19: from New Latin, from Latin zamiae, erroneous reading of phrase nucēs azāniae pine cones, probably from Greek azainein to dry up