papilionaceous: Meaning and Definition of

pa•pil•i•o•na•ceous

Pronunciation: (pu-pil"ē-u-nā'shus), [key]
— adj. Bot.
  1. having an irregular corolla shaped somewhat like a butterfly, as the pea and other leguminous plants.
  2. belonging to the family Papilionaceae (Fabaceae), that is often included as part of the Leguminosae.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.