pothos

noun

po·​thos ˈpō-ˌthäs  ˈpä-ˌthōs  ˈpō-ˌthōs 

plural pothos

: a southeastern Asian climbing plant (Epipremnum aureum) of the arum family widely grown as a houseplant for its leathery or waxy heart-shaped green leaves with yellow or white variegation

Note: This plant is known by several other common names, including money plant, golden pothos, and devil's ivy.

Pothos is not only one of the most popular houseplants, it's also one of the easiest to maintain and propagate. To give this plant a haircut and share its green bounty with loved ones, there are two methods to propagate it: in water and in soil.

—L. Daniela Alvarez

While it thrives under the sun as a tropical forest plant, the adaptable pothos lives indoors in cooler climes so contentedly it has few other competitors in this category. … And coupled with a useful ability for flourishing even when neglected for long stretches, the pothos is the perfect low maintenance plant for those who struggle to keep more complicated foliage alive.

—Tom Fish

Examples of pothos in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The whimsical ambiance continues inside with chandeliers, trailing pothos plants, and a mural of flamenco dancers. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024

Tropical Houseplants Many houseplants, such as pothos, bromeliads, philodendrons, and monsteras, love higher humidity than normally found in our homes. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2024

Montalvo has a penchant for pothos and philodendrons, while Marsh says large monsteras, dracaenas, dieffenbachias, and snake plants can add some height to your setup. —Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024

The vibrant color combo lends this pothos delightful energy that will wake up any sleepy tabletop. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, earlier genus name for the plant (Pothos aureus, later reclassified as Scindapsus aureus and Epipremnum aureum), Linnaeus's re-formation of earlier Potha, borrowed from Sinhalese pōṭā væl or pōṭǣ, names for the plant Pothos scandens

Note: The brief description by Linnaeus of the plant Pothos scandens (Species plantarum, tomus II [Stockholm, 1753], p. 968) refers to his own Flora Zeylanica (Stockholm, 1747), where the plant is described (p. 156) under the name Potha, and to the Thesaurus Zeylanicus (Amsterdam, 1737) of the Dutch botanist Johannes Burman (p. 197). Both the latter and Linnaeus's Flora Zeylanica refer to the Musaeum Zeylanicum (Leiden, 1717), a description of the plants of Sri Lanka compiled by the German-born botanist Paul Hermann (1646-95) and published posthumously by the British botanist William Sherard. Hermann, who lived in Sri Lanka from 1672 to 1677, was later professor of botany at the University of Leiden. In the Musaeum Zeylanicum, each plant is described under an approximation of its Sinhalese name.

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pothos

• golden pothos