'marvel of Peru' definitions:
Definition of 'marvel of Peru'
From: GCIDE
- marvel of Peru \marvel of Peru\, marvel-of-Peru \marvel-of-Peru\ n. (Bot.) A common garden plant (Mirabilis jalapa or {Mirabilis uniflora}) of North America having fragrant red or purple or yellow or white flowers that open in late afternoon; called also four-o'clock. See four-o'clock.
- Syn: common four-o'clock, marvel of Peru, Mirabilis jalapa, Mirabilis uniflora. [WordNet 1.5]
Definition of 'marvel of Peru'
From: GCIDE
- Four-o'clock \Four"-o'clock`\, n.
- 1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Mirabilis. There are about half a dozen species, natives of the warmer parts of America. The common four-o'clock is M. Jalapa. Its flowers are white, yellow, and red, and open toward sunset, or earlier in cloudy weather; hence the name. It is also called marvel of Peru, and afternoon lady. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Zool.) The friar bird; -- so called from its cry, which resembles these words. [1913 Webster]