Plural of chincherinchee, a South African bulbous plant with white or yellow star-shaped flowers used in floristry.
From Nama (Khoisan language) 'chin-chin-ee,' an onomatopoeia imitating the rustling sound the flower stems make in wind. The plant became popular with European florists in the 19th century.
Chincherinchees have an almost magical quality—they can stay fresh in a vase for up to 6 weeks, and they're sometimes called 'everlasting flowers' because they dry beautifully! The onomatopoetic Nama name is one of the few African language words that became international in floristry.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.