What does mimosa mean?
A mimosa is most commonly a bright, celebratory drink made by combining orange juice with champagne, prosecco, or another sparkling wine. Recipes vary considerably: some combine equal parts of juice and wine, while others use a smaller quantity of juice, and some add a dash of liqueur. The name also refers to certain pink-flowered plants in the legume family, especially sensitive plants whose leaflets fold inward after being touched. The word has an additional, now old-fashioned literary sense for someone regarded as excessively sentimental or easily influenced by emotion. Although its botanical meaning may sound unusual, the drink is familiar in British, American, Australian, and other English-speaking cultures. The word is also noteworthy because the same name has come to denote both a refined brunch cocktail and a plant with a conspicuous defensive response to touch.
nounA sparkling cocktail made with orange juice and a sparkling wine such as champagne or prosecco. The name can also refer to a pink-flowered sensitive plant whose compound leaves fold when touched.
- A sparkling cocktail of orange juice and champagne, prosecco, or another sparkling wine.
- Any of various leguminous shrubs or trees, especially a sensitive plant with pink flowers and leaves that fold when touched.
- An unusually sentimental or easily affected person; now chiefly literary and old-fashioned.
"They celebrated with mimosas on the sunlit terrace."
"She ordered a mimosa and watched the condensation form on the glass."
"The botanist demonstrated how the mimosa closed its leaves after being touched."
Used for multiple drinks or individual plants of the kind called mimosas.
"Two mimosas were waiting on the table."
A mimosa pairs orange juice with bubbles, while the plant named mimosa defends itself by folding its leaves at a touch.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mimosa come from?
The English word comes through New Latin from Latin mimosa, the feminine form of mimosus, meaning “mimic-like” or “sensitive.” Latin mimus was borrowed from Greek mimos, an ancient term for a mimic or jester. The botanical name entered English in the 17th century, while the cocktail name developed much later by shortening “mimosa cocktail.”
Related word forms
How mimosa is actually used
The drink is everyday and informal, although it is often associated with brunches, celebrations, and warm weather. The plant name is used loosely in different regions, and “mimosa” can refer to different species. The third sense is uncommon and carries a mildly derisive or nostalgic tone.
Easily confused with mimosa
In some regions, “mimosa” is a common name for silver wattle, which is botanically an Acacia species, while the sensitive plant commonly called mimosa belongs to the genus Mimosa.