any orchid of the genus Cypripedium, having large flowers with an inflated pouchlike lip
See also lady's-slipper
2.
any cultivated tropical orchid of the genus Paphiopedilum, having yellow, green, or brownish-purple waxy flowers
Word origin
C18: from New Latin, from Latin Cypria the Cyprian, that is, Venus + pēs foot (that is, Venus' slipper)
cypripedium in American English
(ˌsɪprəˈpidiəm)
nounWord forms: pluralˌcypriˈpediums or ˌcypriˈpedia (ˌsɪprəˈpidiə)
1.
any of a genus (Cypripedium) of soil-rooted orchids of the North Temperate Zone, with flat leaves and white, yellow, or rosy-purple flowers, each having a pouchlike lip petal; lady-slipper
2.
any of various cultivated species (genus Paphiopedilum) of tropical orchids with fleshy, folded leaves and green, yellow, or brown-purple flowers of waxy texture
Word origin
ModL, lady-slipper < Gr Kypris, Venus (lit., the Cyprian goddess) + podion, slipper, dim. < pous (gen. podis), foot