bird-of-paradise
1 of 2noun
bird-of-par·a·dise ˈbərd-əv-ˈper-ə-ˌdīs 
-ˌdīz,
- ˈpa-rə-
: an ornamental plant (Strelitzia reginae of the family Strelitziaceae) native to southern Africa that has scapes terminating in a horizontal bract from which emerges an upright flower having three orange or yellow sepals and three irregular blue petals
bird of paradise
2 of 2noun phrase
: any of numerous brilliantly colored plumed oscine birds (family Paradisaeidae) chiefly of New Guinea and neighboring islands
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1874, in the meaning defined above
Noun Phrase
1569, in the meaning defined above