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Glite Dictionary
Nymphaea caerulea

Nymphaea caerulea

9.9
A blue water lily from Egypt often used in ancient Egyptian art and ceremonies
  • noun
  • /nɪmˈfiːə kəˈrulɪə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Nymphaea caerulea
  • The ancient Egyptians often depicted the Nymphaea caerulea in their art and religious ceremonies.

Examples

  • Botanists study Nymphaea caerulea for its unique blue petals and medicinal properties.

  • Did you know that Nymphaea caerulea is also called the blue lotus?

  • A pond covered in Nymphaea caerulea creates a stunning and tranquil landscape.

  • The Nymphaea caerulea blooms beautifully in the Nile.

  • A pond covered in Nymphaea caerulea creates a stunning and tranquil landscape.

  • Botanists study Nymphaea caerulea for its unique blue petals and medicinal properties.

  • The ancient Egyptians often depicted the Nymphaea caerulea in their art and religious ceremonies.

Synonyms

blue lotus
vsNymphaea caerulea
1 7.7

A water plant with blue flowers that people often use in art, religion, and traditional medicine

refers specifically to the Egyptian native species rather than the broader plant group

Surface Forms

Nymphaea caerulea singular
Nymphaea caeruleas plural

Morphology

Nymphaea + caerulea

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) name rather than a compositional English phrase: while 'Nymphaea' denotes a water-lily genus, 'caerulea' is a Latin adjective (meaning 'blue') that is not a common English word. A B1 learner who knows only the given constituent glosses would not reliably derive the species meaning (blue water-lily) without knowledge of Latin/botanical naming conventions, so the expression is not transparently interpretable.

Etymology

Nymphaea caerulea is a blue water lily that opens its bright flowers in the morning and closes them at night, a daily picture of 'rebirth' that made people notice it long ago. One popular story says ancient Egyptians used the flower in art and ceremonies, so it became seen as 'sacred' and linked to beauty and healing.