1 banksia | Definition of banksia
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banksia

noun
bank·​sia | \ ˈbaÅ‹(k)-sÄ“-É™ How to pronounce banksia (audio) \

Definition of banksia

: any of a genus (Banksia) of Australian evergreen trees or shrubs of the protea family with alternate leathery leaves and flowers in dense cylindrical heads

Examples of banksia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Rainbow lorikeets and bright pink galah cockatoos flitted between eucalyptus trees and banksia blossoms that resembled giant yellow and orange candles. — Margo Pfeiff, latimes.com, "Coastal road trip in Western Australia is a dream come true," 25 Feb. 2018 Some plants, like banksia, release seeds out of woody capsules when heated, while others, including some orchids, flower after stimulation by a fire. — C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, "Why the Forest Doesn’t Fear the Fire," 22 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'banksia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of banksia

1783, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for banksia

New Latin, genus name, from Sir Joseph Banks

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