noun
crape
A flowering ornamental tree or shrub of warm regions.
The crape myrtle beside our driveway blooms throughout the summer.
Etymology
Latin crispus meant curled, behind the name of crinkled crape fabric. Crape myrtle borrows that fabric image for its wrinkled-looking petals, with crape sometimes standing for the plant name.
More examples
- We plant two crapes along the sunny fence.
- This crape myrtle has clusters of pink flowers.
- She chooses a dwarf crape myrtle for her small garden.
Forms
crape · crapes
Similar words
- crape myrtle
- The fuller, more usual name for the same flowering plant.