phlox

noun

ˈfläks 

plural phlox or phloxes

: any of a genus (Phlox of the family Polemoniaceae, the phlox family) of American annual or perennial herbs that have usually pink, purplish, white, or variegated flowers, a salverform corolla with the stamens on its tube, and a 3-valved capsular fruit

Illustration of phlox

Examples of phlox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The night’s decor, according to a statement from The White House, included cherry blossoms in the White House’s grand foyer as well as tablescapes of seasonal blooms of lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley. —Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026

Inside, trees and greenery evoked English gardens while the tables were decorated with spring blooms of lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026

Bouquets of lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox and lily of the valley filled the center of the table like a garden. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

Use large white peony blooms to build the body of the arrangement and pair them with smaller flowers such as purple garden phlox and heliotrope for contrast and color. —Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Phlox, a genus name, going back to Latin phlog-, phlox "a flame-colored flower," borrowed from Greek phlóx, genitive phlogós "flame, flash (of lightning), blaze, radiance, inflammation, a flame-colored flower," o-grade derivative from the stem of phlégein "to burn up, blaze, gleam" — more at phlegm

Note: The genus name Phlox was introduced by linnaeus (Species plantarum, 1753), who adapted it in Hortus Cliffortianus (Amsterdam, 1737, p. 63) from Theophrastus's name for a plant, identified as the wallflower (Erysimum cheiri) by Liddell and Scott's dictionary and Arthur Hort's translation of Historia plantarum (Theophrastus: Enquiry into Plants, vol. 2 [London/New York, 1916], p. 44).

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for phlox

• balks
• blocks
• blocs
• box
• chalks
• chocks
• clocks
• cocks
• cox
• crocks
• docks
• docs

Kids Definition

phlox

noun

ˈfläks 

plural phlox or phloxes

: any of a genus of American herbs widely grown for their showy clusters of usually white, pink, or purplish flowers