any tropical American apocynaceous shrub of the genus Plumeria, esp P. rubra, cultivated for its waxy typically white or pink flowers, which have a sweet overpowering scent
2.
a perfume prepared from this plant or resembling the odour of its flowers
3. native frangipani
Word origin
C17: via French from Italian: perfume for scenting gloves, named after the MarquisMuzio Frangipani, 16th-century Roman nobleman who invented it
frangipani in American English
(ˌfrændʒɪˈpæni; ˌfrændʒɪˈpɑni)
nounWord forms: pluralˌfrangiˈpani or ˌfrangiˈpanis
1.
any of a genus (Plumeria) of tropical American shrubs and trees of the dogbane family, with large, funnel-shaped flowers and milky sap; specif., a small tree (P. rubra) with fragrant, reddish flowers that are used, in Hawaii, to make leis
2.
a perfume obtained from, or scented like, such flowers
3.
a custard dessert or a custard filling for cakes and tarts, usually flavored with ground almonds
Also ˈfrangiˌpane (ˌfrændʒɪˌpeɪn)
Word origin
It, after Marquis Frangipani (16th-c. It nobleman), said to have invented the perfume
Examples of 'frangipani' in a sentence
frangipani
A frangipani spread itself in one corner like a curtsying ballerina.
Robert Wilson INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (2002)
The warm air outside was heavy with the scent of frangipani.
John Murray A FEW SHORT NOTES ON TROPICAL BUTTERFLIES (2002)