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Glite Dictionary
lion's-ear

lion's-ear

9.6
A plant with bright orange flowers shaped like small lips that grow in rings
  • noun
  • /ˈlaɪənz ˌɪr/
  • Specialized
translation icon : oreja de león
  • In some areas, lion's-ear has become naturalized and grows wild along the roadside.

Examples

  • The vibrant blossoms of the lion's-ear attract bees and butterflies to the garden.

  • Many gardeners choose to plant lion's-ear for its striking orange flowers and resilience.

  • Look at that gorgeous lion's-ear over there!

  • I saw a beautiful lion's-ear blooming in the garden.

  • Many gardeners choose to plant lion's-ear for its striking orange flowers and resilience.

  • The vibrant blossoms of the lion's-ear attract bees and butterflies to the garden.

  • In some areas, lion's-ear has become naturalized and grows wild along the roadside.

Synonyms

Leonotis nepetifolia
vslion's-ear
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical plant of the mint family with tall stems and bright orange tube-shaped flowers

is focused on the plant being pantropical and often naturalized in the United States
Leonotis nepetaefolia
vslion's-ear
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical plant with rings of bright orange, lip-shaped flowers native to Africa and Asia now growing widely elsewhere

is used for the plant across tropical regions and often in the United States

Surface Forms

lion's-ear singular
lion's-ears plural

Morphology

lion's-ear = lion + ear (semi-transparent) = lion + ear

Formed from 'lion' + 'ear' in a descriptive/metaphorical compound for a plant; components are obvious but the compound denotes a plant species rather than a literal lion's ear.

Etymology

The word lion's-ear comes from the plant's bright, curved flowers that look like a lion's ear, and the root leon- means 'lion'. That's why the name fits this warm-weather plant that grows in rings of bright, tube-like orange flowers.