Illustration of poinsettia
poinsettia
noun
poin·set·tia pȯin-ˈse-tē-ə 
nonstandard pȯint-,
nonstandard
-ˈse-tə : any of several spurges (genus Euphorbia) with flower clusters subtended by showy involucral bracts
especially : a showy Mexican and Central American plant (E. pulcherrima) with tapering usually scarlet bracts that suggest petals and surround small yellow flowers
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web One large poinsettia steals the show of this arrangement, while fir sprigs and hypericum stems tuck behind to support the star. 
Natalie Dayton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Dec. 2021 The long sloping hillside, which stretches from Cannon Road south to Palomar Airport Road, has been home to flowering plants since 1923, when the Paul Ecke family moved their poinsettia-growing operation south from Los Angeles. San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2022 The flame — flickering softly in a red jar between a pair of poinsettia plants — burned for her sisters, nieces and nephews who still live in Ukraine. Christine Condon, baltimoresun.com, 14 Feb. 2022 Instead of poinsettia, the two trees flanking the hotel's lobby are trimmed with Birds of Paradise and the garland is made from hot pink Bougainvillea. Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2021 In Florida, though, in the early years of the 20th century, a native variety of poinsettia grew wild and became a symbol of the state and especially of Christmas in Florida. Joy Wallace Dickinson, orlandosentinel.com, 20 Dec. 2021 Keep this arrangement where your furry friends can't nibble on it—poinsettia leaves can be toxic to pets. Natalie Dayton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Dec. 2021 The iconic poinsettia tree at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens will be on display in the Conservatory until the end of the year. al, 10 Dec. 2021 But of course, the flowers of the poinsettia aren’t red at all. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2021 See More
Natalie Dayton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Dec. 2021 The long sloping hillside, which stretches from Cannon Road south to Palomar Airport Road, has been home to flowering plants since 1923, when the Paul Ecke family moved their poinsettia-growing operation south from Los Angeles. San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2022 The flame — flickering softly in a red jar between a pair of poinsettia plants — burned for her sisters, nieces and nephews who still live in Ukraine. Christine Condon, baltimoresun.com, 14 Feb. 2022 Instead of poinsettia, the two trees flanking the hotel's lobby are trimmed with Birds of Paradise and the garland is made from hot pink Bougainvillea. Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2021 In Florida, though, in the early years of the 20th century, a native variety of poinsettia grew wild and became a symbol of the state and especially of Christmas in Florida. Joy Wallace Dickinson, orlandosentinel.com, 20 Dec. 2021 Keep this arrangement where your furry friends can't nibble on it—poinsettia leaves can be toxic to pets. Natalie Dayton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Dec. 2021 The iconic poinsettia tree at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens will be on display in the Conservatory until the end of the year. al, 10 Dec. 2021 But of course, the flowers of the poinsettia aren’t red at all. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Joel R. Poinsett †1851 American diplomat
First Known Use
1836, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
poinsettia
noun
poin·set·tia pȯin-ˈse-tē-ə
-ˈse-tə
: a tropical plant with showy usually red leaves that grow like petals around its small greenish yellow flowers