nasturtium

American  

[na-stur-shuhm, nuh-] / næˈstɜr ʃəm, nə- /

noun

1. any plant of the genus Tropaeolum, cultivated for its showy, usually orange, red, or yellow flowers or for its fruit, which is pickled and used like capers.

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nasturtium British  

/ nəˈstɜːʃəm /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Tropaeolum, esp T. major, having round leaves and yellow, red, or orange trumpet-shaped spurred flowers: family Tropaeolaceae

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Etymology

Origin of nasturtium

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin nāsturtium, nāsturcium the name of a kind of cress, taken to mean, perhaps by Latin folk etymology, “something that twists the nose” (referring to its acrid smell), from Latin nāsus nose ( def. ) + tormentum (derivative of torquēre “to twist”) torment ( def. ) + -ium ( def. )

Example Sentences

On top, we put two chutneys and we add some Nasturtium just for the presentation.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2024

Nasturtium leaves are highly water-repellent thanks to veins on the upper surface US engineers have created the "most waterproof material ever" - inspired by nasturtium leaves and butterfly wings.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2013

He developed Griffin partly with the profits from another beast, named Nasturtium.

From Time Magazine Archive

Bought by Aste as a yearling for $4,300, Nasturtium bloomed into the best two-year-old race horse of 1901.

From Time Magazine Archive

Small spaces occur here and there along the extreme front edge, and here are planted little jewels of colour, of blue Lobelia, or dwarf Nasturtium, or anything of the colour that the place demands.

From Wood and Garden Notes and thoughts, practical and critical, of a working amateur by Jekyll, Gertrude