geranium
noun
ge·ra·ni·um
jə-ˈrā-nē-əm 
-nyəm
-nyəm
1
: any of a widely distributed genus (Geranium of the family Geraniaceae, the geranium family) of plants having regular usually white, pink, or purple flowers with elongated styles and glands that alternate with the petals
called also cranesbill
2
3
: a vivid or strong red
Examples of geranium in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Touches of clove, black pepper, and cardamom open up into rose, peony, and geranium.
—
Megan Wahn, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024
For example, coleus, geraniums, succulents, abutilon, sweet potato vine, and begonias are among the easiest.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024
There’s Cowboy, a grassy citrus fragrance and Cowgirl whose ranch and rodeo homage finds notes of bergamot and tuberose, orange blossoms, garden geraniums, and jasmine.
—Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Editor's tip: The product gets its lovely, light scent from natural essential oils like geranium, lavender, and manuka oil.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 Oct. 2024
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Megan Wahn, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024
For example, coleus, geraniums, succulents, abutilon, sweet potato vine, and begonias are among the easiest.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024
There’s Cowboy, a grassy citrus fragrance and Cowgirl whose ranch and rodeo homage finds notes of bergamot and tuberose, orange blossoms, garden geraniums, and jasmine.
—Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Editor's tip: The product gets its lovely, light scent from natural essential oils like geranium, lavender, and manuka oil.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for geranium
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Dictionary Entries Near geranium
Cite this Entry
“Geranium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geranium. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
geranium
noun
ge·ra·ni·um
jə-ˈrā-nē-əm
1
: any of a genus of herbs with usually deeply cut leaves and typically white, pink, or purple flowers in which glands alternate with the petals
2
: any of a genus of herbs native to southern Africa with showy flowers of usually red, pink, or white
Etymology
from Latin geranium "geranium," from Greek geranion, literally, "little crane," from geranos "crane"
Word Origin
Many of the plants in the geranium family have long, thin, pointed seedpods or fruits that look like the bills of birds. The ancient Greeks noticed this resemblance. They named the wild geranium geranion, literally meaning "little crane," for the long-legged, long-billed wading bird. English borrowed the Latin form geranium. English also borrowed the idea that the geranium's seedpod looks like a bird's bill. The common English name of the wild geranium is cranesbill.
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