japonica

noun

ja·​pon·​i·​ca jə-ˈpä-ni-kə How to pronounce japonica (audio)
: japanese quince

Examples of japonica 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.
For the japonica, to my taste the washed rice had just a microdose less starch, taking it from already excellent to perfect. — Julia Moskin, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024 Also known as Eriobotrya japonica, loquat trees produce orange fruit, and their leaves are commonly used to make tea. — Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026 For more on pieris, see the following website, Landscape Plants - Pieris japonica. — oregonlive, 9 Apr. 2022 The Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, is a scarab beetle about 3/8-inch long. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for japonica

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from feminine of Japonicus Japanese, from Japonia Japan

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of japonica was in 1819

Rhymes for japonica

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Browse Nearby Words

Japonic
japonica
Japonism
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Cite this Entry

“Japonica.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/japonica. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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