noun. any orchid of the genus Cattleya characterized by a three-lobed lip enclosing the column; among the most popular and most extravagantly beautiful orchids known.
1. Noun, singular or mass Orchids grow in a myriad of sizes from tiny to the huge nearly 6-inches-across cattleya orchids. 2. Adjective Some of the most common orchids are cattleya, cymbidium, dendrobiums, phalaenopsis and vanda.
