calla
UK[ˈkælə]US[ˈkælə]
n
A plant of the arum family, typically having a large white sheath surrounding a yellow spike.
n
The large white flower of this plant.
Etymology
The word 'calla' is a modern Latin botanical name, first used by the Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century. Its origin is uncertain but is often suggested to be a misapplication or a shortened form of the Greek word 'kallos', meaning 'beauty', in reference to the plant's elegant flower. Another theory links it to the Latin 'calathus' (basket) due to the shape of its spathe. As a fixed botanical term, it entered English directly to label this specific genus of flowering plants.
Analysis
The word 'calla' is a simplex loanword. It is not productively formed from separable English morphemes.
Examples
The calla lily is not a true lily but belongs to the arum family.
She carried a simple bouquet of white callas at her wedding.
Callas thrive in moist soil and partial shade.