Definition

Adjective: Having a form or outline that resembles that of a slipper (a light, low shoe that is easily slipped on and off the foot).

Usage

This adjective is used to describe the shape of an object, most commonly in botany to describe the form of certain flowers. It is a compound adjective, typically placed before the noun it modifies.

Examples

• The slipper-shaped orchid is a popular choice for gardeners.
• Botanists noted the flower's unique, slipper-shaped petal.
• The pitcher plant has a slipper-shaped cavity to trap insects.

Advanced Usage

• Descriptive Botany: The term is a standard descriptor in botanical texts and field guides for flowers, especially orchids of the subfamily Cypripedioideae (lady's slipper orchids), where the labellum (lip) is pouch-like.
  • The rare lady's slipper is easily identified by its distinctive, slipper-shaped lip.

Variants and Related Words

• Slipper: (n) The source noun for the shape.
• Slipper-like: (adj) A less common synonym with the same meaning.

Synonyms

• Pouch-shaped
• Sac-shaped

Related Idioms or Phrases

This specific compound adjective is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. It is a technical descriptive term.

Adjective

1. shaped in the form of a slipper