What does "wallflower" mean?

Any of several short-lived herbs or shrubs of the Erysimum genus with bright yellow to red flowers.

How do you pronounce "wallflower"?

Pronounced //ˈwɔlˌflaʊ.ɚ//.

Common synonyms include: cheiranthus cheiri, erysimum cheiri, flower, nonparticipant, sheep, shy person.

//ˈwɔlˌflaʊ.ɚ// noun, verb, slang

noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level

Noun

1
Any of several short-lived herbs or shrubs of the Erysimum genus with bright yellow to red flowers.
"A polypetalous corolla is either cruciform, as in a wall-flower, rosaceous, papilionaceous, as in the pea kind, or incomplete, when some parts found in analogous flowers are wanting."
2
remains on sidelines at social event wordnet
3
Gastrolobium grandiflorum, a poisonous bushy shrub, endemic to Australia.
4
perennial of southern Europe having clusters of fragrant flowers of all colors especially yellow and orange; often naturalized on old walls or cliffs; sometimes placed in genus Erysimum wordnet
5
A person who does not dance at a party, due to shyness or unpopularity; by extension, anyone who is left on the sidelines while an activity takes place.
"Mrs. Galbraith shook all over with laughter as she replied, "Hear that boy, asking me to dance ! I'm content to be a wallflower, now-a-days.""

Show 2 more definitions

6
any of numerous plants of the genus Erysimum having fragrant yellow or orange or brownish flowers wordnet
7
Any person who is socially awkward, shy, or reserved. informal
"I've always been a wallflower, even in my own home. But, I'm willing to learn to be a part of your world. I would like to. I have already told my parents that I want to go to soirées."

Verb

1
To stand shyly apart from a dance, waiting to be asked to join in. intransitive
"[…] the idea that a full tango experience is impossible without the presence of wallflowers and without the threat of wallflowering as the potential dancers enter the tango club."