Standard Lemma guide

spathe

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /speɪð/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪð

1

noun

Meaning 1

A large bract that envelops or subtends a whole inflorescence, typically a spadix.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a conspicuous bract surrounding or subtending a spadix or other inflorescence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bract

History

Etymology

From Latin spatha, from Ancient Greek σπάθη (spáthē, “blade”). Doublet of epee, spatha, and spade.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Faroese: hylkisblað — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Finnish: spatha — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Finnish: puikelon suojuslehti — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Icelandic: hulsturblað — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Polish: pochwa kwiatostanowa — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Swedish: hölsterblad — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Swedish: hölster — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Tày: bo — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Tày: cáp — large bract that envelopes a spadix
  • Vietnamese: mo — large bract that envelopes a spadix