rhododendron

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an evergreen or deciduous shrub or small tree of the genus Rhododendron, often grown for clusters of showy flowers

   A purple rhododendron bloomed beside the shaded path.

2. 2
   noun

   in older botanical use, the oleander

   Some classical writers used rhododendron for the plant now called oleander.

Simplified etymology

Rhododendron means ‘rose tree’, from Greek rhodos ‘rose’ and dendron ‘tree’. The name was originally applied to the rose-flowered oleander and was transferred to the plant now called a rhododendron in the mid-17th century.

From Latin rhododendron and Greek rhododendron, literally "rose tree," from rhodon ("rose") + dendron ("tree"). The ancient name referred to oleander; modern botanical usage comes through the genus Rhododendron.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary