poculiform

poc·u·li·form
P3O1C3U1L1I1F4O1R1M3
UK/ˈpɒkjʊlɪfɔːm/US/ˈpɑkjəlɪfɔɹm/

adjective

Having the shape of a goblet or drinking cup.

Scrabble 19

Meanings

adjectivepoculiform (comparative more poculiform, superlative most poculiform)

comparative more poculiform · superlative most poculiform

  1. Having the shape of a goblet or drinking cup.

    [S]ubgenital plate of male poculiform, narrowly rounded at apex as seen from dorsum […]

    1961 July 21, James A. G. Rehn with David C. Eades, “The Genus Opshomala of Serville, 1831 (Orthoptera; Acrididae; Cyrtacanthacridinae)”, in Notulae Naturae of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, number 345, page 5
    5 more examples

    Poculiform (poculiforme) cylindrically cup-shaped, with the base hemispherical, and but slightly, or not at all, spreading or recurved at the mouth.

    1809, William Martin, Outlines of an Attempt to Establish a Knowledge of Extraneous Fossils on Scientific Principles: In Two Parts, Macclesfield, Cheshire: Printed by J. Wilson; sold by the author, Buxton; J. White, Fleet-Street, and Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, London, →OCLC, page 128

    JASMINUM bracteatum […] Calyx pubescent; tube poculiform, subnervose; segments setaceous, erect, as long as the tube.

    1830, Jonathan Stokes, Botanical Commentaries, volume 1, London: Simpkin and Marshall; Treuttel & Würtz, →OCLC, pages 13–14

    A subdivision of the genus Narcissus, including N. capax and N. reflexus, in which the segments of the perianth are semi-reflexed, and the coronet poculiform, about equalling the perianth segments.

    1866, Thomas Moore, “ASSARACUS”, in John Lindley, Thomas Moore, editors, The Treasury of Botany: A Popular Dictionary of the Vegetable Kingdom; with which is Incorporated a Glossary of Botanical Terms, volume 1, London: Longmans, Green & Co., →OCLC, page 104

    Poculiforms Known since the nineteenth century, poculiform snowdrops derive their name from the Latin poculus ('little cup'), and were named by the Revd. Henry Harpur-Crew (1828–1883). The inner segments are elongated so that all six flower segments are generally equal in length, forming a rounded, bowl-shaped flower.

    2013, Freda Cox, “Hybrids, Cultivars, Varieties and Forms”, in Gardener's Guide to Snowdrops, New York, N.Y.: Crowood, →ISBN

    'The Bride' [a snowdrop variety], found in the early Seventies at Foxcote Farm near Cheltenham, was his first discovery. It's a poculiform (cup-shaped) G. elwesii with six pure white petals of the same length. Like many poculiforms […] it's not a strong grower.

    2015 February 7, Val Bourne, “The quiet man of the world of snowdrops”, in The Daily Telegraph (London), page G8
nounpoculiform (plural poculiforms)

plural poculiforms

  1. A variety of snowdrop with petals of the same length.

    'The Bride' [a snowdrop variety], found in the early Seventies at Foxcote Farm near Cheltenham, was his first discovery. It's a poculiform (cup-shaped) G. elwesii with six pure white petals of the same length. Like many poculiforms […] it's not a strong grower.

    2015 February 7, Val Bourne, “The quiet man of the world of snowdrops”, in The Daily Telegraph (London), page G8
    1 more example

    Poculiforms Known since the nineteenth century, poculiform snowdrops derive their name from the Latin poculus ('little cup'), and were named by the Revd. Henry Harpur-Crew (1828–1883). The inner segments are elongated so that all six flower segments are generally equal in length, forming a rounded, bowl-shaped flower.

    2013, Freda Cox, “Hybrids, Cultivars, Varieties and Forms”, in Gardener's Guide to Snowdrops, New York, N.Y.: Crowood, →ISBN

Origin

  1. Latinpōculum“cup”
  2. Englishpoculiform

Latin pōculum (“cup”) + -iform; compare French poculiforme.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

poculiform. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/poculiform

MLA

“poculiform.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/poculiform. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “poculiform,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/poculiform.

Source: poculiform on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.