pothos

See also: Pothos

English

Etymology

From translingual Pothos, the genus name. The similarity to Ancient Greek Πόθος (Póthos), the name of one of Aphrodite's erotes who was said to carry a vine (from πόθος (póthos, “yearning, desire”)) is noted; however, other references give the origin as Sinhalese පෝටා වැල් (pōṭā wæl).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pʰoʊ.θoʊs/

Noun

pothos (countable and uncountable, plural pothoses)

1. Epipremnum aureum, a vine widely cultivated as a houseplant, once classified in the genus Pothos.
   • 2009 February 2, Kenyon Wallace, “A factory fitted for a green future”, in Toronto Star‎^[1]:

     Vines of golden pothos climb the steel support beams.

2. (uncountable, botany) Pothos, a genus of plants consisting of subtropical and tropical, climbing, flowering vines, indigenous to the environs of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean.

Derived terms

• golden pothos

 

Anagrams

• Poshto, photos