hooded ladies' tresses

noun plural but singular or plural in construction

: a native orchid (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) that is widely distributed in northern North America and occurs occasionally in Ireland and eastern Asia and that has spikes of small creamy or straw-colored almond-scented flowers with sepals and petals partly fused into an upward arching hood

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!