mock orange

noun

1
: any of a genus (Philadelphus of the family Hydrangeaceae, the hydrangea family) of ornamental shrubs of which several are widely grown for their showy white flowers

called also philadelphus, syringa

2
: any of several usually shrubby plants considered to resemble the orange

Examples of mock orange in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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These include azalea, Viburnum spp., oak leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), lilac (Syringa vulgaris), Cotoneaster spp., and mock orange (Pittosporum tobira). Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2025 Sunburned leaves of a mock orange shrub on Aug. 23. Denise Chow, NBC News, 1 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mock orange was in 1731

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Cite this Entry

“Mock orange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mock%20orange. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

mock orange

noun
: any of several shrubs widely grown for their showy white flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on mock orange

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