n.
Pronunciation: ˌ d ē -f ə n- ' ba-k ē - ə , ˌ di-, - ' bä-
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Ernst Dieffenbach † 1855 German naturalist
Date: circa 1900
: any of a genus ( Dieffenbachia ) of erect poisonous tropical American plants of the arum family having usually variegated leaves and often grown as houseplants