lords and ladies

noun

Arum maculatum, a woodland plant species of the Araceae family native to northern Europe.

Similar
Jack-in-the-pulpitcuckoopintAdam and Eveadder's meatadder's rootarumarum lilybobbins
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Meanings

nounlords and ladies (uncountable)
  1. uncountableArum maculatum, a woodland plant species of the Araceae family native to northern Europe.

    Often growing with the Primroses, we find peering through the Moss or Ivy-clad bank, the shining green leaves of our native Wild Arum, familiarly known as "Lords and Ladies" and "Cuckoo Pint."

    1893, William Robinson, The English Flower Garden: Style, Position & Arrangement: Followed by a Description of All the Best Plants for It, Their Culture and Arrangement, page 254

    Synonyms: Jack-in-the-pulpit, cuckoopint, Adam and Eve, adder's meat, adder's root, arum, arum lily, bobbins

Synonyms & antonyms

nounArum maculatum, a woodland plant species of the Araceae family native to northern Europe.

Similar
Jack-in-the-pulpitcuckoopintAdam and Eveadder's meatadder's rootarumarum lilybobbinscows and bullscuckoopintcuckoo-plantdevils and angelsfriar's cowlJack-in-the-pulpitkitty-come-down-the-lane-jump-up-and-kiss-melamb-in-a-pulpitlord-and-ladylords-and-ladiesnaked boyssnake's head
Also see
cows and bullscuckoopint

Origin

Those with purplish spadix are the "lords", and those with pale spadix the "ladies".

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

lords and ladies. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lords%20and%20ladies

MLA

“lords and ladies.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lords%20and%20ladies. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lords and ladies,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lords%20and%20ladies.

Source: lords and ladies on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.