bird-of-paradise

1 of 2

noun

bird-of-par·​a·​dise ˈbərd-əv-ˈper-ə-ˌdīs How to pronounce bird-of-paradise (audio)
-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 2

noun phrase

: any of numerous brilliantly colored plumed oscine birds (family Paradisaeidae) chiefly of New Guinea and neighboring islands

Examples of bird-of-paradise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Floor-to-ceiling windows fill the space with light, while a glass door leads to a private garden lush with bird-of-paradise plants and ferns—a rare pocket of calm in the city. — Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2026 However, according to this study, instead of tradeoffs, birds-of-paradise show a positive correlation among their showy traits. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Noun phrase
The wide variety of plants include birds of paradise, roses and herbs. — Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 The outdoor shower was lined by a wall of luxuriant birds of paradise plants. — Sandra Guzmán, USA Today, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bird-of-paradise

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1874, in the meaning defined above

Noun Phrase

1569, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bird-of-paradise was in 1569

Rhymes for bird-of-paradise

See All Rhymes for bird-of-paradise

Browse Nearby Words

bird of night
bird-of-paradise
bird of paradise
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Cite this Entry

“Bird-of-paradise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird-of-paradise. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bird-of-paradise

1 of 2 noun
: a plant from southern Africa that has a colorful flower head resembling the head of a bird with a crest

bird of paradise

2 of 2
: any of numerous brilliantly colored birds of the New Guinea area that often have large graceful tail feathers and are related to the crows

More from Merriam-Webster on bird-of-paradise

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bird-of-paradise

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