Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various perennial tropical herbs of the genus Canna, having clusters of large showy flowers and including an edible variety.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Cannot.
  • noun Cotton-grass, a plant of the genus Eriophorum.
  • noun [capitalized] [NL.] A genus of reed-like plants, natural order Marantaceœ, several species of which are known by the name of Indian shot, from their round, shining, hard, heavy seeds.
  • noun The upright shaft or stem of any ornamental object or utensil, especially when of metal, as of a candlestick.
  • noun Eccles., the pipe or tube by which the sacred wine was taken from the chalice. See calamus, 4.
  • noun A linear measure in use in some parts of Italy.
  • noun [capitalized] [NL.] A genus of lepidopterous insects.
  • noun A name of the eland, Oreas canna.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A measure of length in Italy, varying from six to seven feet. See cane, 4.
  • noun (Bot.) A genus of tropical plants, with large leaves and often with showy flowers. The Indian shot (Canna Indica) is found in gardens of the northern United States.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Any member of the genus Canna of tropical plants with large leaves and often showy flowers.
  • verb Scotland, Jamaica Contraction of can not; cannot.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any plant of the genus Canna having large sheathing leaves and clusters of large showy flowers

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin canna, cane; see cane.]

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Examples

  • * The name canna comes from the Celtic word for "cane."

    Blisstree 2009

  • * The name canna comes from the Celtic word for "cane."

    Blisstree 2009

  • * The name canna comes from the Celtic word for "cane."

    Blisstree 2009

  • * The name canna comes from the Celtic word for "cane."

    Blisstree 2009

  • * The name canna comes from the Celtic word for "cane."

    Blisstree 2009

  • * The name canna comes from the Celtic word for "cane."

    Blisstree 2009

  • Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Ornamental plants, such as canna, have proven beneficial in removing nitrogen and phosphorus from stormwater runoff, scientists in Louisiana said.

    Latest News - UPI.com 2009

  • When I go back to the house to talk to him I'll ax him if tha 'canna' come an 'see him tomorrow mornin' -- an '. bring tha' creatures wi 'thee -- an' then -- in a bit, when there's more leaves out, an 'happen a bud or two, we'll get him to come out an' tha 'shall push him in his chair an' we'll bring him here an 'show him everything. "

    The Secret Garden 1911

  • When I go back to the house to talk to him I'll ax him if tha 'canna' come an 'see him tomorrow mornin' -- an '. bring tha' creatures wi 'thee -- an' then -- in a bit, when there's more leaves out, an 'happen a bud or two, we'll get him to come out an' tha 'shall push him in his chair an' we'll bring him here an 'show him everything. "

    The Secret Garden Burnett, Frances Hodgson, 1849-1924 1911

  • When I go back to the house to talk to him I'll ax him if tha 'canna' come an 'see him tomorrow mornin' -- an '. bring tha' creatures wi 'thee -- an' then -- in a bit, when there's more leaves out, an 'happen a bud or two, we'll get him to come out an' tha 'shall push him in his chair an' we'll bring him here an 'show him everything. "

    The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett 1886

Comments

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  • It was the little silver snuffbox that Captain Jordan in his lifetime had come by, that had been Granny's to keep for as long as anybody could remember, that rolled across the floor and down into the folds of the cannas.

    --Eudora Welty, 1970, Losing Battles

    December 24, 2010