Anchietea

noun

An·​chi·​e·​tea

ˌaŋkēˈēshēə,

ˌanchē-,

-ˈētēə

: a genus of South American climbing shrubs (family Violaceae) with white clustered flowers and thin capsules

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from José de Anchieta †1597 Spanish Jesuit missionary in Brazil + New Latin -ea, feminine of Latin -eus -eous

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!